China and France are deepening their bilateral relations, aiming to elevate their partnership to new heights. At the Sixth Meeting of the China-France Business Council, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the commitment to enhanced communication and cooperation between the two nations.
Since France recognized China in 1964, the relationship has been steadily growing, achieving a global strategic partnership status in 2004. The countries engage in strategic dialogues covering global governance, climate change, and regional crises, distinguishing Paris from the U.S. with its independent foreign policy and economic alignment with Beijing.
President Xi highlighted France's significant role in China's modernization and expressed a desire for more frequent exchanges and closer collaboration. France stands as China’s third-largest trading partner, while China is the EU’s third-largest source of real investment. Recent economic agreements focus on sustainable infrastructure, climate action, biodiversity conservation, and facilitating bilateral trade.
French leadership, including Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, has opposed the U.S.-led decoupling strategy, seeking instead to rebalance economic partnerships. President Emmanuel Macron has advocated for European strategic autonomy, emphasizing that the EU should not become a vassal of the U.S. A European Council on Foreign Relations poll reflects that 74% of Europeans support reducing dependency on American security guarantees while maintaining a balanced relationship with China.
Economic ties are strengthening, with China's imports from France increasing by 5.5% in 2023. Notably, imports of French agricultural products surged by 50.5% since 2019, and consumer goods imports grew by 12.3% annually over the past five years, signaling a narrowing trade deficit for France.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
