On 5 February 2026, a delegation led by Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai, visited SASS. Professor Quan Heng, Secretary of SASS CPC Committee, met with the delegation and held in-depth discussions on China-French relations, China-EU relations and bilateral cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
Professor Quan extended a warm welcome to Mr. Valadou and his delegation, and briefed them on SASS’s exchanges and cooperation with French partners. He pointed out that since the 18th National Congress, China’s economy has transitioned from high-speed growth to high-quality development, with growth increasingly driven by innovation. In this context, China’s “new trio”, which includes electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic (PV) products, has emerged, reflecting the country’s capacity for scientific and technological self-reliance. This shift, he emphasized, is both an intrinsic requirement of China’s development and a proactive response to changes in the external environment.
Professor Quan further observed that, in recent years, certain countries have pursued policies of technological containment and “decoupling and supply chain disruption”, posing challenges for China while also stimulating indigenous innovation. Regarding China-French economic and trade relations, he noted that China does not seek a large trade surplus and, like France, advocates balanced trade. There remains substantial potential for cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and the green economy. He called for strengthened dialogue, expanded two-way investment, and deeper practical cooperation. China, he added, encourages competitive enterprises to go global, including by investing and establishing operations in European countries such as France. At the same time, Chinese enterprises continue to face barriers, including regulatory constraints and limited familiarity with local language, culture, markets and policies. SASS stands ready to enhance exchanges with the French Consulate General in Shanghai, as well as French universities and think tanks, to promote deeper cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture.
Consul General Valadou stated that China-France relations occupy a significant place in French diplomacy, and that President Macron’s recent visit to China has injected new momentum into bilateral ties. France and China share broad consensus on upholding the multilateral international system centered on the United Nations and should further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, and economic development to maintain global stability. He also stressed that people-to-people exchanges are a vital pillar of bilateral relations. Over the past few years, extensive cultural cooperation between France and Shanghai has been warmly received by the public of both nations. However, youth exchanges have yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels and warrant further strengthening. He expressed his hope of deepening engagement with SASS to jointly advance the development of China-France relations.
