The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Beijing

China and France sought to patch up their differences Tuesday amid anger over protests surrounding the Olympic torch relay but a Paris city honour for the Dalai Lama threatened to scupper efforts.

The tension was underlined with the wheelchair-bound fencer Jin Jing saying that French President Nicolas Sarkozy owed her an apology.

Jin has become a figure of national unity since she resisted pro-Tibet protesters who tried to grab the Olympic flame from her during its troubled journey through Paris two weeks ago.

On a visit to Shanghai on Monday, French Senate President Christian Poncelet passed on a letter from Sarkozy to the disabled athlete in which he condemned the raucous demonstrations. But Jin Tuesday expressed regret that Sarkozy did not formally apologise. "(Sarkozy) expressed regret, shock and condemnation but no apology," Jin was quoted by the Beijing News as saying.