Business in China

Nous avons publié le 12 Juillet l'extrait d'un article du China Daily sur les relations Franco Chinoise et la perception qu'on les Chinois. Aujourd'hui encore le China Daily publie un article dans lequel une tentative d'ouverture est faite, notamment par un rappel sur l'aide appporté par la France au Sichuan .

Looking to brighter Sino-French relations
By Wang Danna (China Daily)

Though Sino-French relations were rocky in the first half of this year, "we have been solid friends for many years - the fundamentals of the relationship between our two countries are excellent and solid," Herve Ladsous, the French ambassador to China, said in a recent interview with China Daily.
"We want to continue building relations on the basis of respect," he said.
Even though "some undeserved difficulties arose in Sino-French relations", the ambassador remains optimistic. "We should look at bilateral relations from a historic standpoint. I hope they can get back on track soon."
The ambassador said he feels welcome where ever he goes in China. After previous visits, it was his "long dream to return back to China". His job is exciting but busy - allowing him to indulge his hobby of fishing only a couple of times over the 18 months he has been stationed in China.

Aid
France was one of the first countries to respond to the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12. The French government and companies offered tents, household items, medical equipments and other supplies.
French nationals also donated money and blood to help, Ladsous said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy went to the Chinese Embassy in Paris to express his sadness and condolences to the victims.
Ambassador Ladsous expressed his sympathy for victims in a condolence book for foreign diplomats at the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Ladsous thought these reactions "normal between friends".
The French government sent a 13-member medical team to Guangyuan in northeast Sichuan to treat the injured in local hospitals and on the front line.
The team treated more than 400 patients over 12 days in Sichuan. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi called the team to express his thanks for their relief work.
The French government has to date donated more than 1 million euros ($1.6 million) worth of supplies.
As the immediate relief efforts are drawing to an end, China now faces the formidable task of reconstruction.
"French architectural and engineering companies have begun to offer help to rebuild the city of Dujiangyan," the ambassador said.
The French Embassy and Sichuan authorities plan to finalize an agreement in August on rebuilding plans using experts to salvage and restore cultural sites damaged in the quake. Rebuilding of the Bai Lu Church is among the plans.
"We are also working closely with the European Chamber of Commerce in China on a seminar to be held this October for rebuilding Sichuan province," Ladsous said.

Cooperation
Even though numbers of Chinese tourists to France declined recently, both France and China have tried their best to turn the situation around with "everyone doing their jobs", the ambassador said, adding he is optimistic everything "will return to normal".
The embassy will hold scheduled cultural exchanges in opera, ballet, film, photography, sculpture and events related to the Olympic Games. The European Youth Orchestra will visit Beijing at the end of the Games in August, the ambassador said.
Sino-French cooperation in innovative technology is also reflected in the Games. "French companies are active in cooperation," Ladsous said.
One is a joint venture with French company ASK making contact-free inlays for 12.2 million Olympics tickets using its radio frequency identification technology.
Companies from China and France have keen on cooperation of green technologies, the ambassador said, which supports a joint statement on climate change by the two nations.
One effort is for electric taxies, buses and even private cars.
"We are at the very beginning" of the electric vehicle plan, the ambassador said. "It will show people it does work. With higher gasoline prices, it can come into play."
China is developing emission-free nuclear power plants, which France and China have been working on together for 25 years. "We expect the work to continue for many more years to come," he said.
Future
Ladsous presided over the opening of a French consulate in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, in February this year to show support for the Chinese government's efforts to further develop the region.
He said "at least 200 French firms" are in the region, primarily in Shenyang, Dalian and Changchun, working with local companies making truck tires, helicopters and ships.

After 30 years of work by French institutes with the region's universities to train students in language and medicine, and by companies making autos and heavy equipment, the new consulate is a signal of further trust and communication, he said.
France also has consulates in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Chengdu.