The seventh meeting of the China-France Business Council was held in Beijing, attended by President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting confirmed the growing importance of the economic and trade partnership between the two countries.
Xi Jinping emphasised that stable relations between China and France are crucial for facing global uncertainties. Both sides should continuously expand new areas of mutual economic and trade cooperation while strengthening beneficial cooperation between China and the European Union. Bilateral trade reached $68.75 billion in the first ten months of 2025, and cumulative mutual investment exceeded $27 billion.
President Xi called for seizing opportunities and deepening cooperation, particularly in promising areas such as artificial intelligence, the green and digital economy, biomedicine and the silver economy. Both countries should also support industrial and supply chains and ensure a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for companies from both countries.
Xi also recalled important anniversaries: 50 years of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, 80 years since victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, and the founding of the United Nations. In this context, he emphasised the need for genuine multilateralism, protecting the role of the UN, and supporting a rules-based multilateral trading system based on the WTO.
French President Macron praised the dynamism of the Chinese economy, its openness and its willingness to support mutual investment and cooperation. Both leaders also confirmed the continued strengthening of the strategic partnership between China and the EU and their joint efforts to achieve a fairer and more balanced global economy.