In a significant move to strengthen their global presence, China and France have agreed to deepen economic ties and work together on pressing issues like climate change. The announcement came during the 10th China-France High Level Economic and Financial Dialogue held in Paris on Thursday.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Eric Lombard co-chaired the dialogue. They emphasized the importance of enhancing trade and investment between the nations to create more opportunities for growth.
“We’re committed to advancing the agreements our leaders have set,” said He Lifeng. “By fostering an open global trade environment and boosting economic cooperation, we’re adding new energy to the China-France partnership.”
Eric Lombard highlighted France’s eagerness to collaborate. “France is ready to work alongside China to promote free trade and tackle climate change,” he said. “We’re excited to offer Chinese consumers our high-quality French products and make France an attractive place for Chinese investors.”
The discussions led to agreements on various sectors, including poultry meat, breeding poultry, and hatching eggs. He Lifeng also visited French family farms and met with business leaders in cosmetics, medicine, and aviation during his stay.
Currently, France is China’s third-largest trading partner in the European Union, and China is France’s largest trading partner in Asia. In 2023, trade between the two countries reached $79.58 billion, marking a 0.8 percent increase from the previous year, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This partnership not only strengthens the economic bond between China and France but also sets a positive example for international cooperation on global challenges.
