China and France both support convening a summit of the Group of Twenty nations, according to their joint press communique issued in Beijing Sunday.

The communique, issued when French President Jacques Chirac is paying a state visit to China, says that the two countries will jointly research issues including global economic governance, especially prior to the summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations (G-8), sustainable development and dialogues with developing countries.

The two countries agreed to enhance high-level political dialogues, promote an exchange of mutual visits at high levels and expand consensus on important global issues in fields of development, poverty alleviation, environment, diseases, crises prevention and handling, anti-proliferation, war on terror and reform of the United Nations.

The communique says China and France will institutionalize the coordination between the two countries' permanent delegations in the United Nations and other international organizations, cooperate in conflict prevention and peacekeeping and propose joint initiatives whenever possible.

President Chirac's visit will further deepen the "bilateral all-round strategic partnership," and enhance economic, industrial and technological relations so as to make them reach "levels commensurate with good political relations," the communique says.

The two countries will continue to implement the joint statement on all-round strategic partnership in January 2004, and both countries value multilateralism and the aim and principles of the UN Charter, it says.

The French side notices China's adherence to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, it says.

(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2004)