Sarkozy tries to mend China ties


Mr Poncelet delivered the letter to Ms Jin in person



France's president has expressed sympathy for a disabled Chinese athlete who was jostled by a pro-Tibet activist as she held the Olympic torch in Paris.
In a letter to 27-year-old Paralympian fencer Jin Jing Nicolas Sarkozy told her she had shown "outstanding courage" in the face of the assault.
The Paris incident sparked an outburst of anti-France protests in China.
Meanwhile Paris city council says it will honour the Dalai Lama - a move certain to anger Chinese officials.
Bertrand Delanoe the Socialist mayor of Paris announced he would make the Tibetan spiritual leader an honorary citizen.
He said it would "pay tribute to a champion of peace - a tireless advocate of dialogue between peoples".
Beijing holds the Dalai Lama responsible for the violent unrest that swept through Tibetan communities in China during March - an allegation he strongly denies.
State-run media reported on Monday that officials are launching a two-month "patriotic education" in Tibet where Communist Party officials and local people will gather to denounce the spiritual leader.
'Deep feeling'
The progress of the Olympic torch on its world tour has been beset by problems.
In London Paris and San Francisco sizeable groups of protesters expressed indignation at Beijing's Tibetan policies.
The incidents that were brought about by a few people on this sad day don't reflect the feelings of my fellow countrymen for the Chinese people


Nicolas Sarkozy


A protester in Paris tried to snatch the torch from Ms Jin who was carrying it in her wheelchair on its Paris leg.
She was hailed as a hero in China's state-run media for the way she dealt with the protests with Xinhua news agency describing her as a "smiling wheelchaired angel".
Mr Sarkozy's letter was handed to Ms Jin by Christian Poncelet French Senate president in front of the cameras in her home city of Shanghai.
"I would like to express to you my deep feeling about the way you were jostled in Paris on 7 April when you were holding the Olympic flame" Mr Sarkozy's letter stated.
"I want to assure you that the incidents staged by a few people on this sad day don't reflect the feelings of my fellow countrymen for the Chinese people." Ms Jin was invited to visit France as a personal guest of the president. The apology came after Chinese online activists have spent weeks urging a boycott of French goods.