China-France cooperation powers transformation of traditional French industries

China

China-France cooperation powers transformation of traditional French industries

2026-03-15 15:22 Last Updated At：23:27

Chinese investments are bringing new development opportunities to Hauts-de-France, a traditional industrial region in northern France, as local governments actively attract Chinese new energy enterprises to participate in the region's industrial transformation.

The Hauts-de-France region was once home to Griset, a copper processing company with a history of over 260 years and a pillar of France's metallurgical industry. Faced with global competition and fluctuations in metal prices, the company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy until its acquisition by TNMG, China's leading copper producer, enabled it to rise from the ashes under the name TG Griset. "Today, we have achieved our production target of 7,000 tons per year. This is a remarkable change compared to when we started back in 2016, when a small team of just 12 people launched operations. Now we have 70 employees, along with new projects, development prospects, and a future strategy. The group has also provided us with investment support," said David Derache, general manager of TG Griset.

Located nearly equidistant between Paris and London, as well as nearby the industrial heartlands of Western Europe, Hauts-de-France enjoys huge geographical advantages and a solid foundation in the automotive industry, with carmakers like Renault and Stellantis present. Official data shows that the region has drawn nearly 50 Chinese enterprises to invest and establish operations across sectors including automotive, energy, and chemicals.

Leading the charge the promotion of the region is Nord France Invest, which offers support to international companies and investors seeking to expand in Hauts-de-France.

"We go on a regular basis in China to meet with Chinese groups and, once again, to explain where we are, what we do, and how we can help them choose our region and make sure that we are the hub for them in Europe and the best gateway for Chinese investment here," said Yann Pitollet, CEO of Nord France Invest.

Beyond capital, Hauts-de-France values China's strengths in the new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing sector, particularly in batteries and materials. For this traditional industrial region, attracting Chinese enterprises is not only about drawing investment but also about the electrification transformation and the future development of its automotive industry.

"The best-selling electric vehicle in France today is a Renault car -- the Renault 5. It uses Chinese batteries, and these batteries are produced right here in the Hauts-de-France region. These modern examples -- whether in electric vehicle batteries, related investments, or the development of port industries -- show that these new industrial developments are significant for regions like ours," said Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts-de-France Regional Council.

China's Global Security Initiative shifts paradigm away from traditional zero-sum mentality: expert

The Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by China has shifted the paradigm in thinking about global security away from the traditional zero-sum mentality toward a vision rooted in dialogue and development, said a Chinese expert on Tuesday.

In April 2022, China proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which aims to create a new path to security that prioritizes dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win over zero-sum thinking.

The initiative provides a new course and approach to addressing the root causes of international conflicts and solving security challenges facing humanity.

During an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Wang Xinsong, associate professor at the School of Government at Beijing Normal University, hailed the initiative's importance amid escalating global challenges.

"It's been four years and we have witnessed that the Global Security Initiative or GSI has transformed from a framework in principle to an action plan with many actions having taken place in mediating the conflicts. The major difference between the GSI and the traditional and the existing mainstream idea about global security is that the mainstream idea is being the zero-sum mentality where the belief is that one country's safety is possible only if its neighbors safety is not existent. The GSI shifts the paradigm in thinking about global security away from the zero-sum mentality by arguing that security at the end of the day is very much related to development," Wang said.

Over the past four years, China has consistently promoted the implementation of the GSI. By the end of 2025, the initiative has received support and appreciation from more than 130 countries and regions, as well as international organizations, and has been explicitly incorporated into more than 140 bilateral and multilateral documents at home and abroad.