President Chirac is convinced that a part of France's place and influence in the world will depend on its ability to build an especially strong relationship with China.

Jerome Bonnafont,
Élysée spokesman
PARIS October 23, 2006 (Reuters)

CHIRAC SAYS PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA
"AT THE HEART OF FRANCE'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS"

October 24, 2006 (People's Daily/Xinhua) - French President Jacques Chirac has said that forging a France-China partnership is "at the heart of France's foreign affairs," as "everybody in his country knows that the world's future lies greatly with China."

"China is also clear that it can always find in France its partner, who is independent and who is willing to work together with China in building a balanced world," said Chirac, in a written interview with Xinhua on Monday.

... "France is ready to provide necessary technologies that China may need in its development," he said.

"I have confidence in China. As an ancient country, China's experiences will help it establish and realize the concept of harmonious development. And I am sure China will shoulder its long-term responsibilities in the world arena," Chirac said.

We missed Jack's assurances to the French public that France can only be construed as an equal in Sino-French relations. That her relationship would never be one of submissive kissing-the-Chinese-wink.

We look forward to Jack's frank exhortation to Hu Jintao for China to acknowledge its past dramas and errors.

Of course such talk may cost France lucrative Chinese contracts and trade, but what can Jack do? He is a man of principle, not some wink-kissing opportunisitc pimp.

PFFT (What is this?): Pimping France 4 | Rayonnement français 0