China Calls Halt To Anti-France Sentiment

BEIJING — With praise for the French president and appeals for calm, China's leadership signaled yesterday that it is ready to put an end to anti-France sentiment that has swept the country since the chaotic Olympic torch relay in Paris.

France and high-profile French retailer Carrefour have been singled out by Chinese nationalists who felt insulted by the raucous protests by pro-Tibetan groups and others during the torch run through the French capital.

Anger over the disruption, coupled with comments by President Sarkozy that he might boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, swelled into demonstrations over the weekend at the French Embassy in Beijing and at Carrefour stores in nine Chinese cities.

A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Jiang Yu, said yesterday that the Carrefour demonstrations were "encouraging and touching," but that she added that "we do not agree with some people's radical actions."