China and France signed on Monday in Paris 16 cooperation agreements concerning various sectors on the sideline of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's ongoing visit to France.

Both Wen and his French counterpart Dominique de Villepin were present at the signing ceremony.

The biggest deal was a framework agreement on the Chinese purchase of 150 aircraft from Airbus's A320 family of single-aisle planes, signed by the European aircraft maker Airbus' chief executive, Gustav Humbertand and the president of the China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group, Li Hai.

A financial protocol was signed by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and French Finance Minister Thierry Breton on the funding of SHITAI railway linking Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan in central China.

An administrative agreement of bilateral cooperation was signed by French Labor Minister Jean-Louis Borloo and Chinese Labor Minister Tian Chengping.

Another administrative agreement was signed by vice-president of the National Development and Reform Commission of China Zhang Xiaoqiang and French Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Trade, Small-Scale Industry, the Professions, Renaud Dutreil.

Chinese Transport Minister Zhang Chunxian and French Minister Delegate for Tourism Leon Bertrand signed a cooperation agreement in the fields of sea protection and maritime assistance and another cooperation agreement on highway.

Chinese vice Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou and French junior Minister for Foreign Trade Christine Lagarde signed an administrative agreement on access of French small and medium- sized enterprises to Chinese market.

Chinese Ambassador to France Zhao Jinjun signed a cooperation agreement with Francois Guinot, president of the National Academy of Technologies of France.

An agreement of strategic partnership was signed between France Telecom mobile phone operator and Chinese telecommunications equipment provider ZTE Corporation, which also signed an entry agreement with the general council of the French province of Vienne.

Chinese Agriculture University and French Academy of Agriculture signed an agreement on establishment of a sino-French R&D center.

Other documents are: contract on 6-7 ton helicopter between China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC II), Harbin Aviation and Eurocopter; contract for the supply of a telecommunication satellite Chinasat 6B signed between a Chinasat company and French group Alcatel; agreement between Sinochem, one of the four Chinese national oil company, and French oil giant Total on the establishment of a service station network in the region of Shanghai; framework document signed by AVIC II and French international high-technology Group SAFRAN concerning helicopter motors and framework cooperation agreement between China National Aviation Holding Company and SAFRAN regarding aircraft motor maintenance.

Following the signing ceremony, Wen and Villepin held a joint press conference on the development of the Sino-French cooperation.

Source: Xinhua