BEIJING, Apr 21 (AP) -- French Premier Jean-Pierre Raffarin arrived in China on Thursday on a visit to promote trade ties and affirm France's support for ending a nearly 16-year-old European arms embargo on Beijing.

Raffarin was due to meet with Premier Wen Jiabao, China's top economic official.

Accompanied by 30 French business leaders, Raffarin planned to visit Shanghai, the country's business capital, to show support for smaller French companies in China.

According to French officials, Raffarin planned to affirm support for lifting the European arms embargo on China -- a stance that has drawn U.S. criticism. The embargo was imposed after the China crushed pro-democracy protests centered on Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Raffarin's visit follows a trip to China in October by President Jacques Chirac.

The visit also comes amid tensions between China and Japan over Tokyo's bid for a permanent U.N. Security Council seat -- a status that both Beijing and Paris already hold.