| Aiming for Lasting Ties | | With French President Francois Hollande's visit to China in late April, the two countries have consolidated ties in areas such as economy and culture to mutual benefit. It is also hoped this visit will further strengthen China's cooperation with other EU member countries | | more | | |
 | | Forging Partnerships | | | By issuing a joint communiqué and signing a range of agreements, China and France work to promote their cooperation in political, economic and cultural aspects. Analysts believe mutual needs are the foundation upon which shared benefits are built | | Full Story | |
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| Profile of French President Francois Hollande | French Socialist Party leader Francois Hollande defeated Nicolas Sarkozy in the first round of the 2012 French presidential election with more than 28.6 percent of the vote.
Hollande was born in northern France on August 12, 1954. He has a shining education background with diplomas of Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales de Paris, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris and Ecole nationale d'administration, all elite universities in France.
He served as the first secretary of the French Socialist Party from 1997 to 2008, and was mayor of Tulle in central France from 2001 to 2008, as well as a member of parliament for the southwestern department of Correze.
However, Hollande has never held a government post at national level, which bothered some French voters and cast doubts over his ability to lead the country out of economic crisis.
Bespectacled and with a scholarly air, Hollande has successfully portrayed himself as a "normal president" as opposed to hyperactive Sarkozy, taking advantage of public's disappointment with the incumbent president | | more | | |
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