A promotion conference for the China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held in Paris on Tuesday, gathering hundreds of French representatives including those from political and business circles, who said events like this are helping promote bilateral commercial exchanges.
The promotion conference was held jointly by the Chinese Embassy in France, the China International Import Expo Bureau, and the country's National Exhibition and Convention Center.
Nearly 200 political, foreign trade, financial, and media representatives attended the promotional event.
In his speech, Lu Shaye, Ambassador of China to France, said that at the 7th CIIE, France will again be invited to be the country of honor, fully showing the great importance China puts on French enterprises and its recognition of them.
The ambassador also said that he hopes by tapping into the platform built by CIIE, more French companies will provide a greater number of premium products to Chinese consumers.
Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said that China is an important trading partner of China and the CIIE is critical to promoting trade between France and China.
He called on more French companies to participate in the event and to benefit the people of France and China by building a mutually beneficial relationship.
"For six years, the number of French companies participating in the CIIE has been rising steadily and the CIIE is a significant platform of international commerce. At the event, lots of Chinese importers meet with French exporters. Some of the largest French enterprises will be at the event naturally, but small and medium-sized companies will also be present. So, the CIIE is a fertile platform for trade," he said.
As one of the CIIE organizers, Business France has been organizing small and medium-sized French companies to participate in the international trade event.
"The CIIE is one of the most important exchange events between France and China. Last year, we provided support for about 140 French companies and this year we will also be present at the CIIE. I hope that this year, more companies will be a part of the France Pavilions and show themselves as presence of France," said Pascale Thieffry, director of France Pavilions department of Business France.
The CIIE is the world's first import-themed national-level expo. The 7th CIIE is scheduled for November 5 to 10 in Shanghai.
Promotion event for 7th CIIE held in Paris
Promotion event for 7th CIIE held in Paris
The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip from the ongoing Israeli attacks had risen to 34,568, the Health Ministry in Gaza announced on Wednesday.
During the past 24 hours, the Israeli army carried out four military operations in Gaza, killing 33 Palestinians and injuring 57 others, the ministry said in a statement.
This brought the total death toll to 34,568 and injuries to 77,765 since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted last October, according to the ministry.
An anonymous Egyptian official told AP News on Wednesday that Hamas had asked Egyptian and Qatari mediators to provide clear terms regarding Israel's proposal for unconditional return of displaced individuals to northern Gaza, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as part of the ceasefire agreement's second phase.
According to Israeli media reports, during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not accept an end to the war in Gaza as part of a potential hostage deal.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu also said that reaching a deal with Hamas does not necessarily mean avoiding an attack on Rafah, and the operation in Rafah does not depend on anything.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, highlighting the dire situation in Gaza which he described as "worsening by the day".
Speaking to journalists in New York, Guterres emphasized the urgency of reaching a ceasefire agreement for the "sake of the people of Gaza, the hostages and their families in Israel, and the wider region".
King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday stressed the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during a meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Blinken.
At the meeting, the King highlighted the need for urgent action to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and called for protecting innocent civilians, the state-run Petra news agency reported.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani pledged on Tuesday to resume efforts to end the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
During a phone conversation, the two leaders discussed the latest development and joint efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement.
They also discussed efforts to exchange hostages and detainees, and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid and relief in sufficient and adequate quantities into Gaza.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths issued a statement on Wednesday, saying Israeli ground operation in Rafah will be nothing short of a tragedy beyond words.
After almost seven months of brutal hostilities that have killed tens of thousands of people and maimed tens of thousands more, Gaza is bracing for even more suffering and misery, said the statement.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 34,568
