A story of two countries, three crucial dialogues

In 2014, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, Franco-Chinese dialogue was structured around three themes.

First was a strategic dialogue between two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council based on a shared observation: a world of imbalances and tensions, marked by rising inequalities, wealth concentration, deindustrialization, trade wars, trade deficits, and shrinking middle classes.

France and China agreed to work together to build a more equitable and cooperative trade order within this context. The two countries also developed a joint agenda, particularly addressing climate and biodiversity, and agreed to support efforts to resolve an increasing number of regional crises.

The second was a high-level economic and financial dialogue within the framework of an increasingly imbalanced trade relationship. China is France's second-largest supplier and seventh-largest customer, representing its largest bilateral trade deficit, despite significant cross-investments, the presence of French companies in China and Chinese companies in France, and major collaborations in civil nuclear energy, aviation, and the automotive industry.

Third was a high-level dialogue on human exchanges, addressing cooperation in culture, education, science and technology, tourism, sports and other areas.

The first two dialogues took place remotely in 2020, during the pandemic through four phone exchanges between French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In 2023, our relations resumed — including the high-level dialogue on human exchanges — in what we in France refer to as "the post-COVID world", a world witnessing the return of war in Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere, and the Sino-US confrontation.

This is a world where geopolitical tensions, economic and technological disputes are multiplying, and where the rules that traditionally governed relations between nations are eroding in favor of power dynamics.

Despite this deteriorating context, President Macron's visit to China in April 2023 resulted in the signing of new agreements between the two countries in the areas of aviation, civil nuclear energy, decarbonizing maritime transportation, agri-food, seawater desalination, and liquefied natural gas storage. During a visit to Guangzhou, Guangdong province, the French president inaugurated the China-France carbon neutrality center. A rich program of cultural activities in China, jointly organized to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, was also announced for 2024, a year labeled by both governments as the Franco-Chinese Year of Cultural Tourism.

In addition to these initiatives, following extensive discussions between Macron and Xi, a joint statement between France and China was issued, which serves as the roadmap for bilateral relations in the coming years. It includes 51 concrete commitments to strengthen political dialogue and mutual trust, jointly promote global security and stability, enhance economic exchanges, reinforce human and cultural exchanges, and jointly address global challenges. A few months later, the two sides signed a framework document on establishment of maritime and aerial cooperation and dialogue mechanism between the Southern Theater of the People's Liberation Army and the French forces' command in the Asia-Pacific zone, now a region of multiple confrontations.

These directions were further reinforced by President Xi's visit to France in May of this year, during which he stated at the State dinner at the Elysee Palace: "The world today is experiencing changes and turbulence. The Ukraine crisis and Palestinian-Israeli conflict continue unabated. Economic recovery lacks momentum. Global challenges such as climate change are becoming tougher to tackle. Both being permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and France are duty-bound to shoulder greater responsibilities."

" (President Macron and I) We agreed to stay true to our countries' original aspiration when forging the diplomatic relations six decades ago, deepen the high-level mutual trust and cooperation, and strengthen communication and coordination on major international issues, to jointly inject hope into a confused world and explore the way forward for human progress."

Like the SVOM space observatory, the new Franco-Chinese satellite launched in June 2024, the management of our bilateral relationship must reach new heights. What is its future in a world where China's Belt and Road Initiative and the United States' Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy are at odds? It also depends on the latter (the US), with whom France is allied but not fully aligned — as evidenced by France's refusal to join the AUKUS alliance. Equally important is its reliance on the European Union, whose relations with China are strained, with discussions of "de-risking" and even economic and technological "decoupling".

One certainty remains: in this post-COVID world, a world full of dangers, beyond the differences of our political systems, the distance between our cultures, and the number of our short-term disagreements, the Franco-Chinese dialogue will remain more important than ever. So that between our two countries, knowledge and conversation will always prevail over satire and blame.

The author is president of the Federation of Franco-Chinese Associations and vice-president of the New Franco-Chinese Institute.