France and China should join efforts to explore ways to address future challenges in the fields of energy, transport, environment and financial service, former French President, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, said Wednesday.

Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, shakes hands with former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing during a meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, April 6, 2005.

The former president, who is also president of Convention on the Future of Europe, is heading a group of French company executives to attend the 11th China-French business forum held in Beijing during April 5-6.

He made the remark during a meeting with Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday afternoon.

d'Estaing said he wishes to continue to push forward France-China relations and make concrete contributions to the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Jia, head of China's political advisory body, expressed appreciation on d'Estaing's active effort to promote bilateral cooperation over the years. Jia said the all-round strategic partnership between the two countries is growing healthily and trade and economic cooperation has also been fruitful.

Jia thanked France for sticking to the one-China policy and opposing "Taiwan independence." He also appreciated the understanding that France showed on the newly enacted Anti-Secession Law and its active efforts to push the European Union to scrap the ban on arms sales to China.