Bayanqolu and Ripert delivered speeches and Jing Junhai presided over the meeting.
China Jilin-France economic and trade cooperation docking meeting was held in Beijing, which advocates further cooperation between Jilin province and France. It is emphasized at the meeting that opportunities produced by the Belt and Road initiative should be taken advantage of in an effort to promote cooperation in major projects and achieve mutual benefit. Bayanqolu, secretary of the provincial Party committee, and Li Xiang, French ambassador to China, attended and delivered speeches. Jing Junhai, deputy secretary of the provincial Party committee and governor of Jilin province presided over the meeting.
China Jilin-France economic and trade cooperation docking meeting was held in Beijing. (Photo by Song Kai)
On behalf of Jilin provincial Party committee and provincial government, Bayanqolu extended welcome to all the guests, and thanked the French Embassy in China, French Consulate General in Shenyang and CCI France Chine for their strong support. Bayanqolu said that as countries with a long history and unique civilization, China and France should develop friendship, which is the common wish of Chinese and French people. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. A better future is sure to be created where the friendship between the two countries is concerned. Located in the geographical center of Northeast Asia, Jilin, once a significant industrial base, is now a production base for commodity grain, as well as an important window for the Belt and Road initiative open to the north. In order to realize all-round revitalization, Jilin is currently focusing on high-quality development, which is characterized by digitization and replacement of old growth drivers by new ones. Jilin province looks forward to sharing development opportunities with the world and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results in the process of integration and development. Despite the long distance in between, Jilin and France enjoy great economic complementarity and high industrial relevance, which means great potential for cooperation. In recent years, they have cooperated successfully in such fields as automobile industry and modern agriculture. The just concluded session of China's National People's Congress deliberated and passed the foreign investment law, creating new and greater opportunities for businessmen from all countries, including French entrepreneurs, to invest in China and Jilin. French entrepreneurs are welcomed to invest in Jilin. It is hoped that French enterprises and talented people will come to Jilin to start up business.
Ripert expressed his gratitude for Jilin for its concern and support for French enterprises. He said that Jilin is a beautiful place with rich natural resources, good ecological environment, obvious advantages in science and education, outstanding innovation ability, relatively developed manufacturing and service industries, and constantly improved business environment. In particular, the adoption of China's foreign investment law increase their confidence in investment in China and Jilin province. It is hoped that the two sides will further strengthen practical cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, modern agriculture, cultural exchanges, vocational training, green tourism, and economic and trade cooperation, so as to realize common prosperity and development.
In his speech, Jing Junhai pointed out that the all-round revitalization of Jilin province has created new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries and welcomed French enterprises to invest in Jilin. Both parties need to strengthen strategic cooperation, and conscientiously implement the foreign investment law. Both sides will benefit from the cooperation with Jilin’s development strategy and industrial spatial layout considered. The cooperation in advantageous industries will contribute to the industrial transformation and upgrading. Besides, Jilin and France are expected to deepen partnership in such fields as modern agriculture, bilateral trade, and tourist industry.
At the meeting, five representatives from French enterprises, such as Groupama, Electricite de France and Sigfox, introduced their development plan in China. Six representatives from Jilin companies, including the Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone, Changchun Xuyang industrial group and Changchun Qingyifang group, introduced their current development and cooperation plan.
Attendees at the meeting including Marc Lamy, Consul General of France in Shenyang, and representatives of CCI France Chine and representatives of French industrial and commercial circles; Zhu Tianshu, deputy governor of Jilin province, Liu Xin, mayor of Changchun city, and people in charge of the related provincial-level departments; mayors of related cities and some entrepreneurs.