French firm sees new era in China

"We hope cooperation with China on the British project is not just a financial but a true industrial cooperation where both parties can share and exchange key nuclear expertise," said Guy Bettoun, director of industrial partnerships at EDF.

Machenaud said that China has emerged as a major potential competitor to France in the global nuclear power market. But he noted that cooperation between China and France is still possible because China has extensive experience in building new projects, while France has 25 years of expertise in operating and managing nuclear plants with the highest safety standards.

"Competition with China does exist in equipment supply and the development of new reactors. This is why it is important for us to establish joint ventures with China and to co-develop nuclear reactors in order to transform competition into new opportunities," he said.

During President Xi Jinping's visit to France in March, EDF and CGNPG signed a global partnership agreement and renewed a deal signed in 2010, which will allow the two companies to continue their cooperation in the engineering, operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants.

Machenaud emphasized the importance of the Chinese market for EDF and said he hoped to see greater French nuclear exports to China, which is considering resuming the construction of inland nuclear plants to fight air pollution.

"It is difficult to forecast French nuclear exports to China, but one thing for sure is that French nuclear enterprises won't be able to create jobs at home if they do not seek development in the Chinese market," he said.

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