Companies moving into France in bid to be 'global players'
About 100 mainland companies have overcome the hurdle of high wages to set up production bases in France, French official Clara Gaymard said yesterday.
The companies planned to use their French base to help them penetrate the European market, the president of the Invest in France Agency said.
'They use [French] trademarks, research and development and marketing strengths to quickly enter the European market. If they just export from China, they can't [be players in] the European market,' she said when facing the press at the end of her fourth visit to the mainland.
'The Chinese players are exporting a lot. It is not enough. If they want to be global players they have to invest. They need to be on site to distribute, to adapt and to innovate according to local tastes.'
Joel Pujol, a vice-president with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, confirmed the interest in buying European trademarks.
'I've got many Chinese friends looking for trademarks and French friends looking to sell, but the market is not organised,' he said.