[Changleen]

From the BBC

Chirac welcomes China trade deals

French President Jacques Chirac has hailed business deals worth billions of euros as a sign that his state visit to China has been a success.
Mr Chirac - who is travelling with dozens of business leaders - stressed France's determination to break into China's huge emerging market.

He added that he had discreetly raised human rights issues during his trip.

The visit has been overshadowed by Mr Chirac's call for the end of an EU ban on selling arms to Beijing.

The embargo was imposed after the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protesters.

On Sunday Mr Chirac welcomed the deals - worth four billion euros - signed during his visit.

They include a $1.25bn contract for French engineering group Alstom to rail infrastructure, an order for 16 Airbus jets, and the first major grain deal between the two countries for almost a decade.

Mr Chirac spoke of France's "long-term effort" in China - where its business presence lags behind that of some of its European partners.

"There is an important place to be taken in China and France must take it," he told French television.

I really like France. Seriously. I might move there next.

 

[fluff]

From the BBC



I really like France. Seriously. I might move there next.

I really like France too, but Chirac and the rest of their politicians strike me as being just as sleazy as the next nation's.

I like France for reasons other than their politics.

 

[Changleen]

Me too. I'm going to the Alps.

But I like the Political style as well. Chirac may be sleazy, but he's a 60 year old French dude, and is at least genuine enough to keep it real in his everyday dealings.

 

[fluff]

I like the fact that internally the French still seem to care about the people, not just big business. Add to that the great countryside, extra space (population density less than half that of the UK), and friendly people (outside Paris anyway) and it is a great country.

It has the added bonus of not being a popular destination for those xenophobes from the USA.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I like the fact that internally the French still seem to care about the people, not just big business. Add to that the great countryside, extra space (population density less than half that of the UK), and friendly people (outside Paris anyway) and it is a great country.

It has the added bonus of not being a popular destination for those xenophobes from the USA.

Not to mention their penchant for manditory 20 hour work weeks...

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

I really like France too, but Chirac and the rest of their politicians strike me as being just as sleazy as the next nation's.

I like France for reasons other than their politics.

word. france is a really cool place overall.
i like laid back style living, electronic music, croissants and the the fact my peruvian bucks go a longer way there.
that enough to be happy for me.

am trying to get into l´ecole polytechnique next year. tough am checking out schools in the nicer southern lands like petit-paris bordeaux.


the only thing i dont like its too far for me (13 hour trip and the stopover in atlanta). if only it was next door.....

 

[HedgeHog]

Not to mention their penchant for manditory 20 hour work weeks...

Isn't 6 weeks of vacation also the norm over there?

 

[Jesus]

"He added that he had discreetly raised human rights issues during his trip. "

Don't you think France is doing the same thing as the US?

Seems neither country cares about human rights as much as they do about money.

On this issue, France is as bad as the US!

 

[MikeD]

On this issue, France is as bad as the US!

But, but...crossaints, dude! Crossaints!

 

[fluff]

But, but...crossaints, dude! Crossaints!

Bah, pain du compiegne dude..

 

[N8 v2.0]

le Tour... le Tour!

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

"He added that he had discreetly raised human rights issues during his trip. "

Don't you think France is doing the same thing as the US?

Seems neither country cares about human rights as much as they do about money.

On this issue, France is as bad as the US!

in a way. yes.
probably that was more of a PR thing, rather than an effective-realistic aproach on the subject.

 

[Jesus]

in a way. yes.
probably that was more of a PR thing, rather than an effective-realistic aproach on the subject.

Your probably right.

So France is doing something that the US is known for.

Gotta love the double standard.

 

[MikeD]

Your probably right.

So France is doing something that the US is known for.

Gotta love the double standard.

Didn't you hear me? I said, "CROISSANTS, DUDE!"

MD

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Your probably right.

So France is doing something that the US is known for.

Gotta love the double standard.

not necesarilly.

one thing (still bad) is to not act with full force to prevent human right violations.

another (worse) is to be part in human right violations, and retiring from Intl
human right courts.

no country ever is perfectly good. no one is perfectly evil.
but some will go further than others in the chase of wealth. even if that means tresspasing others rights.
IMO, the post-war france is not a country characterized for going further than others to enforce ethnocentrical meassures on the world, other than ocassional nuclear tests and crap like that (which is bad, but not as bad as other things going on)

there is difference between them.

 

[MikeD]

On the other hand, it's quite possible that 75% (or more, frankly...I'd guess 90%) of the world's nations are exactly like the US in their goals and methods...they're just not as successful or powerful as the US, so they aren't as easy see or pick apart as a massive, singular object of derision.

MD

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

On the other hand, it's quite possible that 75% (or more, frankly...I'd guess 90%) of the world's nations are exactly like the US in their goals and methods...they're just not as successful or powerful as the US, so they aren't as easy see or pick apart as a massive, singular object of derision.

MD

yup, absolutely.

most nations share the same goals, and probably most, given the leverage tools the US have, would use them for self-benefit.

of course rwanda or swaziland would, but since they dont have the corporations, nor the armies, they cannot.

but you know, it also takes some ethics and nobility to respect others and no trespass nor butt-raping their rights sometimes.

because, as there a lot of nations that would, there are several (i mean post wwii, and by g7 standards of course) that dont stiff other that hard.

some stiffing is ok, like a reward for the position, but not too much to keep people from sitting down in months.

 

[ohio]

IMO, the post-war france is not a country characterized for going further than others to enforce ethnocentrical meassures on the world

*cough*headscarf-ban*cough*