The French and Chinese foreign ministries both announced that Paris and Beijing had agreed to renew "high level contacts" and the countries' "strategic dialogue".France said it "reaffirmed its policy of there being only one China and that Tibet is an integral part of Chinese territory". It added that it did not support independence "in any form".
Ties between China and France - which are major trading partners - went from fair to frosty last year when Mr Sarkozy decided to meet the Dalai Lama in Poland during a tour of Europe by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.
China opposes any foreign leader meeting the Dalai Lama, whom it accuses of seeking independence for Tibet after 58 years of Chinese rule. The Dalai Lama insists he wants only meaningful autonomy.
China expressed its displeasure by postponing a summit with the European Union that had been scheduled to be held in France on Dec 1 – an unprecedented step. France at the time held the rotating EU presidency.
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