French President Nicolas Sarkozy continues his visit to China

Описание: (26 Nov 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Various of Chinese President Hu Jintao and French President Nicolas Sarkozy during welcoming ceremony
2. Close of Sarkozy
3. Close of Hu
4. Wide pan of ceremony
5. Mid of military
6. Wide of ceremony
7. Various of Hu and Sarkozy inspecting military guard of honour
STORYLINE
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was officially welcomed by his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao during a military reception in Beijing on Monday.
Sarkozy's three-day visit to China that began on Sunday was expected to focus on economic ties while playing down human rights concerns sure to receive a cool reception from Beijing.
The French President called on China to allow the yuan to strengthen against the Euro and other currencies in the interests of more balanced trade, ahead of talks on Monday with Hu.
At a dinner on Sunday with Hu, Sarkozy gently urged China to apply the death penalty less frequently, the French presidential Elysee palace said.
Hu responded by saying he hoped to reduce the number of cases that the death penalty is applied, the Elysee said.
The French leader also asked for freedom for journalists working in China, it said.
Hu did not make any precise pledge in response, it said.
Paris-based advocacy group Reporters Without Borders had earlier appealed to Sarkozy to raise the cases of 33 journalists and 50 cyber dissidents imprisoned in China.
Sarkozy said after the meeting that he had also urged Hu to "engage vigorously" in finding a solution to the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar, where the ruling junta violently suppressed pro-democracy protests in September.
Earlier, Sarkozy addressed another touchy issue: complaints that China's currency, the yuan, was undervalued, making Chinese products unfairly cheap and boosting its trade surplus with France and the rest of Europe.
He also warned of the costs of China's five consecutive years of double-digit economic growth, saying that development must not deplete natural resources or accelerate global warming.
Sarkozy also addressed the widespread counterfeiting of products in China, including famous French brands such as Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, saying China, as a "great economic power," has every interest in respecting the rules of world commerce.
Sarkozy's formal meetings with Chinese officials were to start Monday. He will fly to Shanghai on Tuesday before leaving for Paris that night.
Aides said Sarkozy would focus on the environment, commercial ties, Africa, China's international role and bilateral concerns.
France's concerns about Iran's nuclear programs are also expected to feature in discussions, especially support from Paris for new U.N. sanctions against Tehran that Beijing has opposed.

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