On November 4th Chinese President Hu Jintao visited French President Nicolas Sarkozy. This visit is no doubt an attempt to bring France as an ally with China against the growing hostility of the United States. China does have other allies, like Burma, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. China needs larger economic powers on its side if it is going to defend itself.

Upon receiving Hu as a guest at the Elysée Palace, Sarkozy said this:

“We must face together the challenges of a rapidly changing world, reaffirm the strength of our partnership, give it a new impulse, and above all give it new perspectives, those of the twenty-first century.”

The wording seems to me to be indicating the currency conflict between the world’s superpowers as well as the new US economic measures harming the Third and several First world economies as well.

China and France have worked out agreements on several issues. On military matters they discussed the war in Afghanistan as well as the nuclear situation in North Korea and Iran. Economically they’ve worked out a series of business deals worth about €20 billion.

France is in a tough situation here, they are a long time ally of the US who have enjoyed a certain level of autonomy. In past instances they have refused to follow the US into war but remain a staple of NATO. Now France is building a relationship with China in response to the aggressive and harmful measures taken by the US trying to dump its economic crisis on the rest of the world.

Making it clear they might be working together on defending China against any US military actions, Sarkozy said this:

“France and China, both being permanent members of the UN Security Council and being among the world’s major economies, have a particular responsibility. Their relations must continue to be exemplary … The two countries must also deepen their coordination and cooperation in international affairs, fight together against the great global threats, in particular on questions of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”

This statement may sound like it is aimed at concerns over Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs, but I think it’s a message to the US that China and France are on the same page militarily.

It is clear to me that France is taking a strong stance against US economic actions against the world and military actions China. In the past France has been a huge critic of China, as you may well remember Sarkozy boycotted the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. He attended the games but he protested the opening ceremony. Later Sarkozy instigated China further by meeting with the Dali Lama in Poland.

These actions all indicate that France is not willing to merely stand by while the US dumps its own economic crisis on the rest of the world. Many of the leading economic powers are choosing a side in the US aggression on China. The situation has the potential to be very explosive.