Vice Minister Gao Delivered Welcome Speech at China-France Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Paris

China-France Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum was held in Paris on the Morning of July 9, local time. Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, and Accoyer, speaker of French National Assembly, were present and delivered keynote speeches. Gao Hucheng, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, and Raffarin, French former Premier, delivered welcome speeches.

Gao Hucheng stated in his speech that this forum was held in the background of the recovery of the world economy and the strengthening international economic cooperation. China and France, with the great international influence, have close trade and economic relations, which is beneficial for the economic development of the two countries and also plays an important role in the steady economy of the world.

Gao said that China-France trade and economic cooperation had fine tradition, solid foundation and broad prospect. Since 2010, bilateral trade and investment has recovered and grown rapidly, which presented that the trade and economic cooperation of the two countries not only stood the test of the international financial crisis but also transformed the crisis into opportunities and injected new vigor for the development. He expected that enterprises of the two countries could enhance the understanding, develop business opportunities and make contribution to the sustainable and balanced growth of economies of the two countries and even the world economy by its tangible achievements.

Raffarin stated that France welcomed Chinese enterprises including small and medium-scaled enterprises to invest in France and France would create more convenient investment environment for Chinese enterprises. Currently, China is striving to transform its mode of the economic growth and actively expanding its domestic demand, which shows broad prospect of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. And therefore, French enterprises should actively participate in the economic construction of China. Besides, Raffarin said that France and China had long historic culture; the two countries should enhance the communication and understanding so as to seek for cooperation and make contribution to the steady economy of the world.

Representatives from China Great Wall Industry Corporation, China Changan Automobile Group, Huawei Group, Blue Star Group, Invest In France Agency, PSA Peugeot Citroën, and Club Med delivered their ideas at the forum.

Witnessed by leaders of the two countries, six projects about bilateral trade and economic cooperation were signed, with the total contract value of US$1.7 billion, including joint venture contract between China Changan Automobile Group and PSA Peugeot Citroën, and other trade&investment contracts covering mining, cotton, travel equipments and wine.

This forum was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment of France. About 500 representatives, including about 200 Chinese and 300 French representatives, were from the two governments, industrial organizations and over 320 enterprises, covering light industry & textile, electrical & mechanical equipments, innovative and high technologies, energy conservation, environmental protection, services, trade & investment ,contracted projects, etc.

On the afternoon of the same day, businessmen of the two countries held matchmaking talks.

At present, France is China’s 4th largest trading partner, 4th largest investment source and 2nd largest technology import source in EU while China is French 7th largest trading partner in the world and first largest trading partner in Asia. In the first 5 months of 2010, China-France trade rose by 40.3% year on year to US$17.25 billion. And bilateral trade and economic cooperation extends to energy conservation, environmental protection, green industry, modern agriculture and financing based on traditional ones of nuclear energy, electric power, aviation and aerospace, and rail transportation. Additionally, cooperation among small and medium-scaled enterprises of the two countries is dynamic increasingly.