France's Fight Against Wrongful Discrimination

France is still pressing the European Union to lift its embargo on arms sales to China this year and does not question China's antisecession law, which authorizes use of military force against Taiwan, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin of France said Thursday, on the first day of a three-day visit to China intended to shore up cooperation between the two countries

reports the IHT's Chris Buckley.

"The measure is anachronistic, wrongfully discriminatory and in complete contradiction of the current state of the strategic partnership between Europe and China," Raffarin told Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, according to the official Xinhua press agency. "France continues to require the lifting of the embargo and does not see what could lead the European Council to change its position on the subject," he said.

France expects the EU to stand by a policy made last year to decide whether to lift the ban during the first half of this year, Raffarin said.

Oh, and when was the last time that Paris declared that Uncle Sam's policies — especially its military ones — were "completely compatible" with those of France? Well, with China (and any other country), France uses a different voice, be it in the domain of international sales or human rights.

Raffarin also said China's new antisecession law, which sets out steps, including ultimately armed force, to discourage Taiwan from making moves toward formal independence from the mainland, is "completely compatible with the position of France," according to Xinhua.