June 3, 2024. Paris – Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 60 years ago, bilateral trade between China and France has grown from around $100 million to nearly $80 billion in 2023. In May this year, President Xi Jinping and President Emmanuel Macron met to mark the anniversary of the countries’ formal relationship and look toward a shared future, discussing common interests as well as points of contention in one of the world’s most significant bilateral relationships. The signing of 18 interdepartmental cooperation agreements and 15 commercial contracts demonstrates a desire on both sides to promote openness and high-quality development, as well as the vast potential of pragmatic cooperation between China and France.
These events took place amid geopolitical shifts and profound economic changes. While these significant headwinds are leading some to already proclaim the end of globalisation, the truth is far more complex, with companies and countries still eagerly seeking avenues to access global markets despite new restrictions and, in some areas, a decreased appetite for free trade. Nowhere do we see this playing out in a more fascinating way than in the relationship between China and Europe.
On June 3, the CEIBS 10th European Forum 2024 was held in Paris to explore these important themes. Co-hosted by CEIBS and the Paris Ile de France Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the forum focused on the theme of “Innovation & Mutual Success: The Future of China-France Relations”, with policy makers, entrepreneurs, experts, scholars, and other political and business leaders from both China and France gathering to share their valuable insights and experience and explore how, in the face of fierce international competition, cultural differences, policy risks, and other challenges, French and Chinese enterprises can harness innovation to thrive in an uncertain era.
The forum began with a video message from CEIBS President and Professor of Management Wang Hong, who noted that over the past 60 years, Sino-French relations have experienced great development, and that together the two countries have undertaken a remarkable journey. “In Chinese traditional culture, the sixtieth year is one that has special significance,” President Wang said. “Looking ahead, I believe that China and France can look for new opportunities in key areas with complementary advantages, such as green energy, science and technology innovation, and advanced manufacturing.” She also stressed that amidst the reshaping of the international innovation landscape, transnational cooperation and innovation alliances have become an important way to promote innovation globally, and that China and France should join hands in promoting global innovation and cooperation amidst a new wave of globalisation.
President Wang pointed out that CEIBS, a business school jointly founded by the Chinese government and the European Union, has developed over 30 years to rank among the top business schools in the world and plays a vital role in bridging China and the EU. “We sincerely hope that today's exploration can provide a further spark for collaboration, help our two countries find paths toward innovative development, and generate win-win outcomes by empowering Chinese and French enterprises to work hand in hand and make greater contributions to global economic recovery and prosperity,” she said.
Mrs. Soumia Malinbaum, President of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Vice President of the Paris Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, then delivered a welcoming speech. Noting that the event marked ten years of the CEIBS Europe Forum, and that recent meetings between French President Emannuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping had given new momentum to the development of bilateral relations between the two countries, she described how the Chinese market has changed in recent years, with Chinese companies not only succeeding in their home market but also actively seeking opportunity overseas, and how France’s favourable entrepreneurial ecosystem and market environment make it an ideal destination for many such Chinese enterprises.
Mrs. Malumbaum then detailed how the France-China Exchange Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Paris Region has been committed to promoting cooperation between Chinese and French companies for 35 years, and that over the past ten years, the CEIBS Europe Forum has become an important platform for exchange and co-operation between the business communities of China and France and a concrete embodiment of the common development of China and France under an innovation-driven development strategy. “At this forum, we expect that Chinese and French entrepreneurs will communicate openly with each other and seek more win-win outcomes through innovation,” she said.
On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in France, Mr. Chen Dong, Minister at the Chinese Embassy in France, expressed his heartfelt congratulations on the successful organisation of the event and the 30th anniversary of the founding of CEIBS in his opening speech. He pointed out that over the past 30 years, just as the world has changed, so has the relationship between China and the EU. The essence of China-EU economic and trade co-operation, however, which is complementary and mutually beneficial, has not changed, Mr. Chen said, along with fact that there are extensive common interests and huge space for co-operation. “Therefore, we should continue to uphold the original intention and spirit of CEIBS, innovate together, achieve win-win results, and jointly create a new economic future for China, Europe and France,” Mr. Chen continued.
Mr. Chen then shared three unique points of view on the China-Europe relationship. Firstly, China and Europe are partners, not “institutional rivals,” he said, emphasising that while China and Europe have distinct histories, cultures, and modes of governance, and that there exist differences and even contradictions within the relationship, it is possible to achieve “harmony with differences” and “unity within diversity.” Secondly, competition between China and Europe is normal, Mr. Chen asserted, and can be managed and resolved through frank communication: the key is to insist on win-win paradigms and mutual trust. Mr. Chen also proposed that China's overcapacity is a false proposition, and that mutual defence and disconnection because of competition, along with “de-risking”, will only lead to a lose-lose situation. Thirdly, openness and innovation are not only a prospect for effective China-EU economic and trade co-operation, but an inevitable path, Mr. Chen said. He concluded by saying that China is vigorously cultivating new productive forces, while France and Europe are also promoting “re-industrialisation” based on green innovation, with the two sides having broad opportunities for cooperation in green energy, smart manufacturing, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and other emerging fields.
Dominique de Villepin, former Prime Minister of France and Distinguished Professor at CEIBS, then delivered a keynote speech on the theme of “EU-China Relations Amidst a Shifting International Order”, analysing the challenges and opportunities that the global community faces amidst significant changes to international systems. Prof. de Villepin said that the world is now facing enormous challenges in geopolitics, regional conflicts, economics, and trade, as well as issues of climate, energy, and population, all of which make today’s global situation very different from that of 1949, post-World War II and under the framework of the United Nations and Bretton Woods. In particular, the impact of disruptive technologies and industrial changes has been far-reaching, with their influence felt on the development of fields from global trade to the education of business talent.
Prof. de Villepin said that, as a year of cultural exchange between China and France, the former is stepping onto the centre of the world stage with greater and greater confidence, and that economic and trade relations between China and Europe are also changing. China has taken a leading role in new energy vehicles, wind power generation, lithium batteries, and more, which has had an important impact on the European market, he said, and prospects for cooperation in digital transformation and the green economy between the two sides are promising.
He emphasised that China and Europe, as indispensable players on the world stage, should work together to address global challenges, promote multilateralism and technological innovation, and boost the recovery and sustainable development of the global economy. “This new multipolar world should aim for an international order that meets the interests of all parties in a balanced way, which is the expectation of Europe, the expectation of China, and the common expectation of the whole world,” he concluded.
François Bitouzet, Global CEO of Viva Technology, then delivered a keynote speech on “Gathering Innovative Forces and Jointly Promoting Sino-French Cooperation”. Founded in 2006, VivaTech is Europe's largest exhibition platform for innovative companies and technologies. Dedicated to fostering global innovation and startups, VivaTech is also Europe's largest tech and entrepreneurship event, held annually over four days in Paris with the aim of building an innovative ecosystem by connecting startups, technology leaders, large corporations, and investors to address global challenges. “VivaTech is committed to a three-pronged approach: fostering business development and collaboration, strengthening the international tech ecosystem, and helping to shape the tech agenda,’ Mr. Bitouzet said, adding that the company is active in building global partnerships. As a global community, VivaTech serves more than 13,500 startups and 2,000 investment organisations, Mr Bitouzet added, and looks forward to helping startups accelerate their growth by connecting with the pioneers and changemakers who are leading the future of technology.
Shi Xiaodong, President of high-tech payment hardware and software company NEXGO and alumnus of CEIBS Entrepreneurship Camp 10, CEIBS DBA 2023, and CEIBS Corporate Capital Management Program 2022, then delivered a keynote speech titled “Practice of Chinese Enterprises Going to Europe”. “It's the right time for China's payment systems to go international,” Mr. Shi said, analysing the development trends of the global payment industry and NEXGO’s global expansion experiences and future plans.
Mr. Shi pointed out that the global non-cash payment penetration rate continues to increase, meaning that the payment hardware market has great potential for growth and digital transformation, with demand also growing for intelligent hardware and software value-added services and the booming development of cross-border e-commerce bringing huge opportunities for cross-border payment. Against this backdrop, it is a perfect time for Chinese payment companies to go overseas, he said.
According to Mr. Shi, localisation capability is the key to the success or failure of Chinese companies going global. As a leading global digital payment technology company founded in 2001 with a presence in more than 90 countries and regions, NEXGO's international strategy can be summarised as hardware first, followed by platform, Mr. Shi said, with their overseas expansion going through the three stages: overseas payment hardware, overseas local acquisitions, and cross-border payment. In the future, Mr. Shi hopes to make NEXGO a benchmark enterprise for domestic digital payment technology companies going overseas, further participate in improving the construction of the global lisence system, strengthen the construction of a cross-border payment ecosystem, and actively promote the digital transformation of the global payment industry, he said.
This speech was followed by a roundtable discussion focused on “Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Chinese Enterprises Going Global”, moderated by Yan Gong, Professor of Entrepreneurial Management Practice at CEIBS and Programme Director of CEIBS Venture Capital Camp.
Managing Director of Nature4growth and CEIBS alumnus Dylan Thuillier (CEIBS Venture Camp 5, CEIBS Venture Capital Camp 2, CEIBS EMBA 2008), Founder of Versa and CEIBS alumnus Cai Tianyi (CEIBS Venture Camp 10), Chairman of AG Esports Chairman and CEIBS alumnus Le Kedeng (CEIBS Venture Camp 10, EMBA2018, DBA2023), Vice Chairman and President of YOUNGOR Li Hanqiong, and Director of Asia Pacific, Choose Paris Region Arnaud Melilli discussed the strategic significance of the European market for overseas enterprises, innovation opportunities amidst a new technological revolution, and how enterprises should respond to fast-changing market and consumer demands to maintain their competitive advantages. Prof. Gong noted that the complementarity between the Chinese and French economies has become more prominent against the backdrop of US-China tensions, with participants agreeing that despite challenges, the Chinese and French economies are highly complementary and possess great potential for cooperation.
Mr. Melilli said that, unlike before, today’s startups must rely not only on innovative technologies, but also holistic governmental, financial, and industrial systems to carry out their business, and that his organisation is committed to supporting enterprises from the Asia-Pacific region in investing in France and providing a full range of services to create a favourable investment environment for both sides. He stressed that Sino-French co-operation should be based on long-term partnerships and make use of the two country’s respective strengths.
Mr. Thuillier then expressed the belief that China and France have great potential for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, agricultural products and climate emission reduction, and that they should strengthen their cooperation and jointly contribute to global sustainable development, while Ms. Li shared the challenges and opportunities encountered by YOUNGOR in the process of internationalisation, highlighting the establishment of mutual trust as the biggest challenge facing Sino-French cooperation.
Discussing the development of the esports industry and AG Esports' overseas strategy, Mr. Le said that professional gaming clubs have become a community loved by young people and are being recognised by more and more countries and regions, noting that AG Esports has successfully established headquarters in Hong Kong and the Middle East and is actively seeking cooperation with European gaming clubs, expressing his hope to bolster Sino-French cultural exchanges and cooperation through gaming. Finally, Mr. Cai shared his own experiences of the differences between the entrepreneurial environments in China, France, and the US. He noted that as China and the US have the largest markets in the world and the advantages of common currency and common language, they find it easier to attract investment and achieve scale development; France, on the other hand, has rich talent resources, but is constrained by the size of the market and issues like brain drain. With the rise of generative AI, Mr. Cai said, many excellent young scientists have emerged in both China and France, providing new opportunities for Sino-French cooperation.
Dominique Turpin, CEIBS President (European) and Professor of Marketing, concluded the event with a speech of appreciation, saying that innovation is a competitive relationship and expanding on three key points. First, he said, innovation requires differentiation, and in the case of enterprises, not only product innovation but also business model innovation is necessary. Second, the prerequisite for innovation is mutual respect; in the era of globalisation, enterprises need to respect each other's culture. Third, innovation is inseparable from communication. President Turpin asserted that CEIBS is committed to building a platform for economic, trade, and cultural exchange between China and the world, and will continue to act as a bridge between China and Europe so as to create a better global future.
The forum was moderated by Frank Bournois, Vice President, Dean, and Professor of Management and Leadership at CEIBS. He emphasised that CEIBS, co-founded by the Chinese government and the European Union in 1994, and the only business school in China jointly founded by Chinese and foreign governments, continues to promote international exchanges and strive to enhance its global influence.
Among the event’s attendees were 46 students from the 10th and 11th CEIBS Entrepreneurial Leadership Camps, led by CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong. Following the event, they will embark on a five-day overseas module and study trip to both Paris and Zurich.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of CEIBS. To express sincere thanks and respect to the people from all walks of life and multiple nations who have supported the school’s development, a reception dinner to celebrate both the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and the 30th anniversary of the founding of CEIBS was held after the forum in Paris on the evening of 3 June. More than 120 elite attendees from French politics, finance, education, journalism, and other sectors, as well as many CEIBS alumni, attended the banquet to share their friendship and celebrate the occasion together. The dinner was also hosted by Prof. Frank Bournois. Eric Cornuel, Global President of EFMD and Vice Chairman of CEIBS, gave a toast.
At the end of the dinner, guests raised their glasses to the long-lasting friendship between China and France, as well as to CEIBS' 30 years of brilliant achievements and bright future.
About CEIBS
Founded in 1994, CEIBS was jointly established by the Chinese government and European Union and is the only business school in China founded by government-to-government collaboration. With five campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Zurich, and Accra, the school offers MBA, Finance MBA, EMBA, Global EMBA, Hospitality EMBA, DBA (Switzerland) and Executive Education programmes. CEIBS has been named #1 in Asia in the Financial Times ranking of global MBA programmes for eight consecutive years and #2 on its global EMBA list for four consecutive years.
About the CEIBS Europe Forum
Since the launch of the CEIBS Europe Forum in 2012, the school has organised nearly 30 events, covering eight countries in Europe and establishing strategic partnerships with over 100 of the most influential chambers of commerce, associations, and think tanks around the world. More than 200 world-renowned figures have been invited to deliver keynote speeches, attracting more than 8,000 international corporate guests. At these events, government officials, renowned professors, and industry leaders have come together to discuss the important issues of the day and to promote economic and cultural exchange and cooperation between China and the world.
As one of the school’s key annual events, the CEIBS Europe Forum Paris has been held since 2015, with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Paris Region acting as co-host since 2017. Each year, the event brings together 300 to 700 business decision-makers, politicians, and economists to engage in a dialogue on topics related to current issues.
About the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Paris Region (CCIP)
Since 1 January 2013, the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP), founded by Napoleon in 1803, has been renamed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Paris Region (CCIP). As the largest organisation of chambers of commerce and industry in France and in Europe, the CCIP serves 789,000 companies in the region, with members accounting for 29% of France's GDP.
The CCIP covers the city of Paris and the departments of Seine-et-Marne, Versailles-Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, and Val-des-Oise, and employs more than 5,000 people. Its mission is to advocate for and support businesses towards governmental bodies; to train talents to meet the challenges of the future through the 24 elite colleges and technical specialised institutes affiliated to the Chamber; to provide consulting services for the development of business projects; and to increase the international presence of the capital region.
China is one of the priority countries for the CCIP to support the international development of companies. The team of services includes China specialists in France, representative offices in Beijing (set up in 1995), Shanghai (set up in 2006), and Chengdu (set up in 2014), and the Franco-Chinese Exchange Committee (CEFC), which was set up in 1997. Since its inception, the French-Chinese Exchange Committee has been committed to deepening mutual understanding between French and Chinese entrepreneurs through the promotion of economic dialogue.
