French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin is expected to kick off Thursday a three-day official visit to China to discuss bilateral economic relations and the problem of a strong Europe facing emerging powers.

Raffarin will stay in Beijing on Thursday to have talks with his counterpart Wen Jiabao and Chinese vice-president Zeng Qinghong.

He will mention the lifting of the European weapon embargo on China, for which France is one of the main advocates, and the United Nations' reform as well as regional issues, such as Taiwan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, according to his office.

Raffarin will also visit Shenyang (Northeast) and Shanghai, symbol of Chinese booming economy, before returning to Paris on Saturday.

"France should keep sustained and close dialogue with a great power like China," said his office referring to French President Jacques Chirac's visiting China in October 2004.

The French prime minister himself visited China in April 2003, despite the epidemic SARS hitting the region.

During his incoming visit, he will show that trade with China can also make sense with growth and employment in France.

"We support our exporters, either big or small, to bring employment in France: it is the goal of my trip in China," said Raffarin recently.

Some cooperation agreement and contracts will be signed on Thursday. Raffarin will be accompanied by some 30 businessmen, including presidents of Alstom, candidate for the high speed train between Beijing and Shanghai, president of the French Electricity Company, EDF and vice-president of Airbus, who intends to sell Super-jumbo A380 to China.

France intends to double the number of its small and medium- sized companies in China from 3,700 nowadays to 7,000 in 2007.