France urges China to free activist Liu, no comment if ready to welcome him

Pro-democracy demonstrators hold up photo of jailed Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo during a protest to urge for the release of Liu, who was sentenced to imprisonment seven years ago on Christmas day, outside the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong, China December 25, 2016. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

PARIS (Reuters) - France's foreign ministry declined to comment on whether it was willing to host Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Liu Xiaobo, but urged China to release him given concerns over his health.

France Info, without citing sources, had reported that Paris had on Wednesday proposed to China that it welcome the 61-year-old, who was jailed in 2009 after he helped write a petition calling for sweeping political reforms in the country.