China and France launched their largest youth exchange program in Beijing Wednesday which will see 800 Chinese and French students visit each other's country this year and next.

The two countries will organize 400 French students to visit China in four groups this year and 400 Chinese youth will visit France next year.

The first French delegation of 100 young people interested in culture, will visit China between June 2-11. They are scheduled to tour Beijing and Shanghai, visiting museums and city exhibition halls. They'll exchange opinions with Chinese students and teachers and visit ordinary families in Hangzhou, a city close to Shanghai.

The program developed from Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to France last December. It is the largest youth exchange program between the two countries and the largest between China and a western European country in recent years.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his French counterpart Dominique de Villepin on Wednesday sent congratulatory letters to the program.

Wen said long-term friendship between China and France is not only in the fundamental interests of the two countries but also the common aspiration of their peoples.

Youth of the two countries have a great responsibility to carry on bilateral friendly exchanges, he said.

Wen warmly wishes the youth of the two countries will join hands, learn from each other and promote China-France friendship.

Villepin said the youth program will further promote the existing close ties between the two countries.

Yang Yue, president of the All-China Youth Federation, said China hopes the young people from France will better understand China's political, economic, social and cultural development.

Source: Xinhua