=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2004/01/29/f= inancial1428EST0203.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, January 29, 2004 (AP) Chinese president visits Airbus factory, checks out mock-up of superjumbo j= et during French visit PERRINE LATRASSE, Associated Press Writer (01-29) 11:28 PST TOULOUSE, France (AP) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao toured the assembly lines of aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday, climbing into a life-sized mock-up of a superjumbo jet at the close of a state visit France hopes will win it more business in China. Workers waving French and Chinese flags welcomed the Chinese leader as he arrived at the assembly plant near the Toulouse airport in Blagnac, where Airbus is headquartered. Accompanied by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Hu visited the assembly lines of the A-330 and A-340 jetliners, an important European export. "We have a sincere wish to cooperate with China," said Airbus President Noel Forgeard, helping to show his guest around. Hu announced Tuesday that China Southern Airlines has agreed to buy 21 n= ew passenger jets from Airbus. The European company confirmed that a provisional deal had been reached for the sale of 21 A-320 planes. It was not immediately clear when the deal might be finalized. The Chinese president, waving to workers during his tour, stopped in fro= nt of an A-340 to be delivered in June to China Eastern Airlines, part of a $1.7 billion contract to sell 30 planes to five Chinese airlines. France is looking to improve its commercial reach in China. Hu, who left Thursday for Egypt, met with France's leading industrialists on Wednesday and presided over the signing of an array of business and research deals. Paris feels its economic ties with China have not kept pace with the friendship between the two governments. President Jacques Chirac made a clear effort to strengthen bilateral ties, in part in hopes of a payoff on the economic side. China said Thursday it appreciated Chirac's support in its effort to have a 15-year-old European Union arms embargo lifted. The EU imposed the embargo after the 1989 crackdown on protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. However, fallout from Chirac's stance against a planned referendum in Taiwan -- another diplomatic victory for Beijing -- also trickled in, with Taiwan's leader accusing France of meddling in its affairs. President Chen Shui-bian on Thursday said Chirac was being hypocritical and unfair when he said the referendum would be a "grave error." Taiwan then proceeded to cancel planned trips to France by two Cabinet members: the chairman of the National Science Council and the chairwoman of the Council for Cultural Affairs. There was no indication as to whether Hu might be inquiring about Airbus' 555-seat, A-380 superjumbo -- or just having fun sitting in a passenger seat of the life-sized model. The four-day visit kicked off a international tour that, along with Fran= ce and Egypt, included stops in Gabon and Algeria. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004 AP