France's Royal travels to China ahead of 2007 poll

BEIJING, Jan 6 (Reuters) Presidential candidate Segolene Royal said today that French firms should get more involved in China, kicking off a trip to the Communist state seen as an attempt to boost her international credentials.

Socialist Royal, who is bidding to become France's first woman president this spring, has little foreign policy experience and analysts see her trip as an attempt to shrug off criticism that she lacks diplomatic weight.

A journey to West Asia last month was marred by several gaffes and she was forced to explain herself out of embarrassing situations.

Kicking off a four-day trip to China in which she is set to meet officials, women's groups and business leaders, Royal urged the French not to fear the world's fourth largest economy.

''I want businesses to come to the Chinese market without being afraid,'' she told reporters on a visit to a construction site for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

''If companies organise themselves better, if they work together to export, then we will not only protect our economy but also create jobs in France,'' Royal said.

China's growing economic weight has stirred some unease among French voters, with an inflow of Chinese textiles adding to competition and workers fearing they could lose their jobs.

In terms of trade, France still lags behind Germany with a Chinese market share of 1.4 per cent against 4.0 per cent for Europe's largest economy, according to official French figures.

Royal, who has led her election campaign with a vow to listen closely to French voters' concerns, said she wanted to go to China to understand, ''not to give lessons''. It was not clear whether she would meet human rights activists during her trip.

Polls show Royal in a close race against conservative Nicolas Sarkozy for the two-round election in April and May.

Commentators said Royal's trip was marked by photo opportunities rather than high profile meetings. Royal was set to meet Vice President Zeng Qinghong, but would not meet President Hu Jintao, her aides said today.

French television broadcast pictures of Royal, bracing the wind at the Great Wall of China. Media said Royal followed in the footsteps of Socialist Francois Mitterrand, who visited China shortly before being elected president in 1981.

French President Jacques Chirac went to China in October, lobbying for business contracts and meeting Chinese leaders.

Royal, a regional leader, is a relative newcomer to the national scene. Supporters say she brings a fresh approach to a male-dominated system. Her critics say she lacks clear policies.

During her West Asia trip, Royal was criticised for waiting a day before condemning comments made in front of her by a Lebanese Hezbollah lawmaker who described past Israeli occupations of the country as Nazism. She said she had not heard his words.

REUTERS AB KP1814