BEIJING: France and China today hailed their reinvigorated ties, putting a spat over Tibet behind them and sealing a series of economic deals during a visit by French Prime Minister Francois Fillon. Fillon’s high-profile visit came on the heels of the marathon climate change talks in Copenhagen, at which China came in for sharp criticism — notably from the Europeans — for rejecting any move to quantify mid-century emissions cuts. The French premier, accompanied by a high-level delegation of key ministers and top business leaders, witnessed the signing of the deals with counterpart Wen Jiabao after the two held talks at the Great Hall of the People. Wen said both sides had agreed to push forward their “comprehensive strategic partnership”, adding: “Even though it is our first meeting in person, I feel like we are friends.” Fillon replied: “Our two countries’ partnership is unmatched. Our partnership is long and enduring.” French aerospace and defence industries group Safran and US conglomerate General Electric have won a multibillion contract to equip China’s future C919 passenger jet with engines, Safran’s chief executive Jean-Paul Herteman said. The deal would be worth five billion dollars to each partner in the Franco-US joint venture, and could possibly be worth 15 billion dollars over 30 years, Herteman said. The C919 — built by state-linked Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and due to be ready for service in about 2016, according to state media — is seen as a future competitor to the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737. Earlier, Electricite de France (EDF) and China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) formalised their joint venture for the construction of two reactors at a power plant in Taishan in southern Guangdong province. EDF holds a 30 per cent stake in Guangdong Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company Ltd, and CGNPC holds the rest 70 per cent. French nuclear group Areva is to provide the third-generation European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs) for the plant, under a multibillion dollar deal signed in November 2007. Chinese state news agency Xinhua said the other deals signed covered cooperation on areas such as culture and water resources.