Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (R2) welcomes French President Jacques Chirac (L2) at the airport in Beijing, Oct. 25, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

French President Jacques Chirac arrived in Beijing Wednesday afternoon, starting his four-day state visit to China.

He is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, and meet with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

This is Chirac's fourth visit to China as French president. "The two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations to further the China-France partnership, and also discuss other regional and international issues of mutual concern," a source with the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Issues concerning the growing trade ties between the two countries are also on the agenda, the source added. Before his departure for China, Chirac highlighted the fact that a France-China partnership is "at the heart of France's foreign affairs," as "everyone can see that China will play a key role in the world's future."

"For its part, China understands that France is a constant and independent partner who is willing to work with China to build a balanced world," said Chirac, in a written interview with Xinhua on Monday.

A day before Chirac's arrival in Beijing, the European Union (EU), in which France actively promotes China-friendly policies, issued a policy paper promising to continue to seek "engagement" and "partnership" with China.

Accompanying Chirac is a 30-member French business delegation keen to boost economic and trade ties between the two countries in key fields such as aeronautics, nuclear energy, railway transportation, telecommunications and financial services.

France has always been a friendly policy-maker and active promoter of ties with China among EU members, and with the release of the policy paper, "I believe China-EU relations will be another key topic on the agenda," said Mei Xinyu, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Local analysts believe it will probably be Chirac's last visit to China as French president as his presidency will come to an end in 2007.

"Chirac has dedicated most of his political career to boosting Sino-French relations and, even if this visit is his last, it will still be significant both for bilateral relations and for relations between China and the EU", said Liu Jiansheng, an expert on China-France relations with the Chinese Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

Besides Beijing, Chirac will also visit ancient China's capital Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, and Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province, where he will attend a ceremony on Friday to mark the start of construction of a second PSA Peugeot-Citroen factory.

Chirac is also expected to give a speech in China's prestigious Peking University during his stay in Beijing.

Editor: Yan