China on Thursday hailed former President Jacques Chirac's contribution to promoting China-France and China-EU ties over the past 12 years.

"Mr. Chirac is an old friend of China who consistently took a strategic, long-term approach to relations between the two countries during his 12-year term," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu at a regular press conference.

Jiang expressed appreciation for France's stance on issues such as Taiwan, China-EU relations and the lifting of the EU arms embargo against China, saying that China-France relations have become a fine example of mutual respect and friendly coexistence between countries with different historical backgrounds and cultural traditions and at different development stages.

"We believe Chirac will continue to devote himself to the development of Sino-French friendship," Jiang said.

The Chinese government would like to work with the new French government to expand the Sino-French comprehensive strategic partnership, Jiang said.

Nicolas Sarkozy, who was proclaimed president when the head of France's Constitutional Council Jean-Louis Debre read out the results of the May 6 presidential election, was officially sworn in as French president on Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua