China seeks nuke cooperation with France
(businessweek.com)
Updated: 2005-12-07 15:20

Chinese prime minister called for broad nuclear power cooperation with France on Tuesday but urged improvements to French bids to supply a new generation of Chinese reactors and services.

On the third day of an official visit to France, Wen Jiabao said China is seeking "all-around cooperation" with France in nuclear fuel, power, safety and waste disposal.

But he added that he hopes to see improvements to French proposals in the form of lower prices and greater transfer of technology to Chinese partners.

The Chinese premier was speaking during a question-and-answer session with students at the Ecole Polytechnique, one of France's oldest and most prestigious university-level schools for science and engineering.

China sees France as a "friend and partner," Wen said during a speech in which he also stressed that China's breakneck economic development is not a threat to world peace.