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Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said here on Monday that China hopes France will play a positive role in promoting the steady development of Sino-EU textile trade.

Wu told visiting French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade Christine Lagarde that textile trade is an important part of Sino-EU trade and it has been proved that problems in textile trade can be solved through exchanges and consultation.

China and the European Union signed a textile trade memorandum in June which prevented textile trade friction between the two major economies from escalating into a trade war.

Wu said that China attaches importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with France and appreciates France's adherence to the one-China policy and opposition to "Taiwan independence."

"We also appreciate France's positive stance in removing the arms sale embargo against China and on recognizing China's full-market economy status," Wu said.

Lagarde agreed with Wu on her remarks on bilateral relations. She appreciated China's efforts in protecting intellectual property rights. She also expressed satisfaction about the two countries' cooperation in the nuclear energy, aviation and railway sectors.

In the European Union, France acts as China's fourth largest trade partner, third largest investor and second largest technology source, according to figures from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Sino-French trade hit 17.6 billion US dollars in 2004, up about30 percent year on year, MOC figures show.