China is willing to make joint efforts with France to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation and boost their strategic coordination at a global level to better serve the two peoples and the whole world, visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said?in Paris?Thursday evening.

Addressing a welcoming banquet hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Hu said the two countries should work together to propel the development of international order in a fairer and more rational direction, and turn the 21st century into one of true peace, development and cooperation.

France is a great nation. In its long history, the French people, with their intelligence and diligence, have built up a prosperous, rich and strong country, and made remarkable economic, scientific, and cultural achievements, making outstanding contributions to the human civilization and progress, said the Chinese president.

The development history of the China-France ties gives eloquent proof that countries of different ideologies, political systems and cultural backgrounds can coexist peacefully, carry out mutually beneficial cooperation and realize common development, as long as they respect and treat each other as equals.

Now, at a time when the international situation is undergoing fundamental and complicated changes, the two countries, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and members the Group of 20 (G20), have more common interests and broader cooperation prospect, and therefore should work together to add new content to their ties and exert a positive influence on the development of partnership between great countries under new historic circumstances, Hu said.

For his part, President Sarkozy said China's development in the last 30 years is the fastest and the greatest in human history and has attracted worldwide attention.

President Hu's visit to France shows the friendship and trust between the two countries, and reflects the unique vitality, richness and maturity of bilateral ties, he said.

Both countries' comprehensive strategic partnership has provided a model for today's world and should be injected with new vitality, and the two sides should explore more development prospects, Sarkozy added.

The cooperation between China and France is unique. France wants to know and understand China better, and is looking forward to establishing with China a win-win cooperative partnership, he said.

Hu arrived here earlier in the day for his second state visit to France.