Associated Press
2009-04-21 12:35 AM

President Nicolas Sarkozy's office says he is inviting the Chinese
leader for a visit to France before year's end.

The speaker of the lower house of parliament, Bernard Accoyer, is in
China and will officially present the invitation.

Sarkozy and Chinese President Hu Jintao decided to restore high-level
relations after a meeting before the G20 summit in London earlier this
month.

China had frozen contacts after Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama in Poland in
December. Trade ties between the two countries suffered as a result.

France pledged to reject Tibetan independence in "any form" _ a
reference to Beijing's claim that the Dalai Lama seeks to separate Tibet
from China, but does not believe it must shun the Tibetan leader.