As China and France mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relationship this year, France has ascended to become China’s third largest trading partner within the European Union.
France also ranks China's fourth largest global trading partner, after Germany, Belgium, and Italy. This ranking reflects the depth of the economic ties between the two countries.
In 2023, trade between China and France amounted to 78.9 billion U.S. dollars. Exports from China to France totaled 41.6 billion U.S. dollars, while imports were 37.3 billion U.S. dollars, showing a notable increase of 5.5 percent from the previous year.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, by the end of 2023, France's direct investments in China had accumulated to 21.64 billion U.S. dollars. These investments, falling behind only Germany and the Netherlands within the EU, primarily focused on sectors of electric vehicles, cosmetics, agri-food, hydrogen energy, and aerospace.
As of the end of 2023, China's investments in France reached 4.84 billion U.S. dollars, mainly in manufacturing, information technology, transportation, banking, hotels, and tourism.
In recent years, Chinese companies have actively engaged in France's new energy sector, playing a significant role in developing the "European Battery Valley," a pivotal project aimed at advancing Europe's battery manufacturing capabilities.
France becomes China's third largest EU trade partner
