https://www.scmp.com/rss/518020/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China called for a halt to the “unjust war” in Iran in a phone call between top diplomats on Friday and expressed willingness to work with France to prevent other nations from being drawn into the conflict. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, that as members of the UN Security Council, the two countries should work together to firmly uphold international law and prevent the world from reverting to the “law of the jungle”. “The urgent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347418/china-decries-unjust-war-iran-it-calls-immediate-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347418/china-decries-unjust-war-iran-it-calls-immediate-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou On the margins of a glitzy security event in Bavaria, the foreign ministers of France and Germany revived a dormant diplomatic format with China. In what was described as part of a larger effort to prevent the world’s superpowers from picking Europe apart, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot and Germany’s Johann Wadephul hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday. It revived a configuration not seen since the days of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first term, talks that Wang said were “both an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:58:33 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu French wine and spirits exporters saw their worst results since the Covid-19 pandemic last year, as companies were buffeted by stormy trade relations between China and the US, two of the industry’s biggest overseas markets. “It’s weighing on everyone’s morale,” said Gabriel Picard, president of the French Federation of Wine and Spirit Exporters (FEVS), during a press conference in Paris on Tuesday where he presented the annual figures. France exported a total of €14.3 billion (117.5 billion... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343156/time-called-happy-hour-french-wine-and-spirit-sales-sour-mainland-china-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343156/time-called-happy-hour-french-wine-and-spirit-sales-sour-mainland-china-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu A growing debate in France over raising tariffs on China heated up on Monday, with a senior minister calling for a targeted approach even as a government planning agency proposed a blanket 30 per cent duty on all Chinese imports entering the European Union. Finance Minister Roland Lescure said China’s large trade surplus with Europe was “unsustainable”, but insisted there was no “one-size-fits-all answer” on tariffs and that Paris would need to continue engaging with Beijing to make... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343041/french-finance-minister-urges-caution-paris-agency-proposes-30-china-tariff?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343041/french-finance-minister-urges-caution-paris-agency-proposes-30-china-tariff?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:00:12 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell In Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, Mike Campbell described how he went bankrupt: “Gradually, and then suddenly.” Over the past weeks, there is a feeling that US President Donald Trump and his administration have reached the “suddenly” bit. First, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney captivated a World Economic Forum audience when he described the “rupture” in the rules-based order, a “bargain” that “no longer works”: leaving middle countries like Canada with no choice but to dilute their... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341726/gradually-then-suddenly-world-waking-us-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341726/gradually-then-suddenly-world-waking-us-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:30:14 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Europe must respond to US threats over Greenland and China’s industrial excesses, or else “passively accept … vassalisation and bloc politics”, French President Emmanuel Macron warned in a speech at Davos on Tuesday. Macron warned of the “brutalisation of the world”, as he urged the use of the EU’s most powerful trade weapon in response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on European countries who last week sent troops to Greenland. Trump has pledged to make the giant Arctic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340612/brutalisation-world-macron-urges-europe-hit-back-against-trumps-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340612/brutalisation-world-macron-urges-europe-hit-back-against-trumps-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:39:06 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China delivered a message of free trade, multilateralism, cooperation and dialogue at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday as the world, including the host continent Europe, grapples with increasingly aggressive moves from Washington. “Everyone should be equal before the rules; a very small number of countries should not enjoy the privilege of pursuing their own selfish interests. The world must not return to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak,” Vice-Premier He Lifeng... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340581/chinas-he-lifeng-warns-against-law-jungle-davos-trump-roils-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340581/chinas-he-lifeng-warns-against-law-jungle-davos-trump-roils-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:44:44 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Donald Trump’s renewed threats to take over Greenland could pose a direct challenge to China’s ambitions in the Arctic, but some observers say it may also open the door to increased cooperation with Europe. Following the abduction of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro, the White House swiftly turned its attention towards the self-governing Danish territory, adding that “of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal”. On Sunday, the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339078/will-donald-trumps-threats-greenland-help-bring-china-and-europe-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339078/will-donald-trumps-threats-greenland-help-bring-china-and-europe-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:00:15 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Despite China-EU trade frictions, Paris and other European cities remain the top destinations for Chinese travellers, with growing China-France trade and visa-free entry spurring companies like Air France-KLM to explore new opportunities. The Franco-Dutch airline group reported strong inbound demand from Europe in 2025, driven by China’s visa-free policy for travellers from more than 30 European nations, covering both business and leisure segments. In the first three quarters, the company posted... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337588/china-europe-travel-markets-resilience-keeps-air-france-klm-optimistic-despite-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337588/china-europe-travel-markets-resilience-keeps-air-france-klm-optimistic-despite-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 03:30:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu From luxury handbags to vintage Bordeaux, China’s consumers have long associated French products with fine living. Now, France aims to hook the country’s expanding middle class on another local speciality: foie gras. China placed tight restrictions on imports of the iconic French goose liver pate amid Europe’s bird flu epidemic, but there are signs that things could change, with Beijing recently vowing to get more produce “from French farms to Chinese tables”. Paris and Beijing also signed a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337676/wild-goose-chase-france-works-rouse-chinas-appetite-pricey-imported-foie-gras?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337676/wild-goose-chase-france-works-rouse-chinas-appetite-pricey-imported-foie-gras?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 22:00:22 +0000 Lucie Qian Xia Lucie Qian Xia Constructed around 256 BC, Dujiangyan is the world’s oldest irrigation system that is still in use today. Long before the invention of gunpowder, the system was using natural topographic and hydrological features to divert water from the Min River for irrigation and flood control without the use of dams. To this day, the ecological engineering feat irrigates 668,700 hectares of farmland in the Chengdu plains of southwestern China. It was in the tranquil, lush mountains surrounding Dujiangyan... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3336207/france-china-sees-civilisational-partner-polarised-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3336207/france-china-sees-civilisational-partner-polarised-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Gerui Wang Gerui Wang French President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day visit to China last week signals a recalibration in how China and Europe engage at a moment when technological competition, trade disputes, climate imperatives and geopolitical fragmentation threaten global stability. Macron met enthusiastic students at Sichuan University; French first lady Brigitte Macron visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The trip fostered economic collaboration between the two countries and deliberately... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3335838/france-and-china-are-testing-alternative-zero-sum-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3335838/france-and-china-are-testing-alternative-zero-sum-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Few leaders travel to China seeking gravitas and return with only a couple of pandas, but French President Emmanuel Macron managed to do just that. After surrendering sovereignty to US President Donald Trump, Macron visited China seeking a validation that his citizens no longer grant. His authority at home has been eroded through cabinet implosions, collapsing support, stalled budgets and demands for his resignation. China could see that before he even stepped off the plane. Beijing handled a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335556/macrons-trip-exposes-europes-fractured-china-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335556/macrons-trip-exposes-europes-fractured-china-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Emmanuel Macron has warned Beijing that Europe would be forced to retaliate with “strong measures” against Chinese goods – including punitive tariffs modelled after US policy – if a trade imbalance between the two sides remains unaddressed well into 2026. Back in Paris, fresh from a diplomatic visit to China that ended on Friday, the French president told business newspaper Les Echos that China was “effectively killing their own customers” by running unsustainable surpluses while curbing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3335620/macrons-trade-ultimatum-china-goes-private-public-fix-surplus-or-face-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3335620/macrons-trade-ultimatum-china-goes-private-public-fix-surplus-or-face-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:33 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen France is poised to get a pair of pandas in 2027 as part of a new decade-long loan agreement finalised following President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day visit to China. On Thursday, the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced it had agreed with France’s Beauval Zoo to extend their international cooperation on giant panda conservation with the aim of boosting Sino-French exchanges. According to the group’s statement, the two giant pandas are expected to arrive at the zoo in Saint-Aignan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335395/france-poised-get-two-giant-pandas-2027-after-macrons-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335395/france-poised-get-two-giant-pandas-2027-after-macrons-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:00:38 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China and France vowed to expand cooperation on nuclear issues and global challenges as French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his three-day visit on Friday. The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to “promoting the safe development of nuclear energy and strengthening collaboration across the nuclear energy industry chain”, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The two nuclear powers also expressed their support for non-proliferation and underscored the key role of the International Atomic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335377/china-and-france-agree-work-together-nuclear-issues-macron-wraps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335377/china-and-france-agree-work-together-nuclear-issues-macron-wraps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:36:06 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma French President Emmanuel Macron sought to improve relations with Beijing as he started a three-day trip amid Europe-China tensions over trade, rare earth minerals and the Ukraine war. “Sometimes there are differences, but it is our responsibility to overcome them for the greater good,” Macron told Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks in Beijing on Thursday. Xi said China was ready to work with France “to exclude any interference” and “make the comprehensive strategic partnership between... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335185/macron-bypasses-eu-bid-boost-france-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335185/macron-bypasses-eu-bid-boost-france-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:00:53 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Chinese President Xi Jinping told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the two countries should “understand and support each other” and advance cooperation during a meeting on Thursday that touched on a range of issues, including the Ukraine war. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Xi described the discussions as “friendly, candid and fruitful”. He said the pair had agreed that the two countries “should uphold multilateralism, stand on the right side of history, adhere to equal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335147/xi-jinping-urges-emmanuel-macron-firmly-stand-right-side-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335147/xi-jinping-urges-emmanuel-macron-firmly-stand-right-side-history?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 04:11:17 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim French President Emmanuel Macron has started a three-day visit to China, where he is expected to confront thorny issues including Europe’s trade with Beijing and the Ukraine war. On Wednesday evening, Macron landed in Beijing at the start of his fourth visit to China, which will also include a trip to the southwestern city of Chengdu. He was given a red-carpet welcome by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with whom he had a brief exchange of words. The French leader is due to meet Chinese President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335063/emmanuel-macron-begins-china-visit-eu-trade-ties-and-ukraine-war-high-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335063/emmanuel-macron-begins-china-visit-eu-trade-ties-and-ukraine-war-high-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:51:37 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Beijing for his three-day visit to China on Wednesday – and he is not coming alone. Alongside his wife Brigitte, the French leader is bringing a delegation of more than 80 people, including multiple ministers and nearly 40 CEOs from across the corporate world. Despite rising trade tensions between China and Europe, the long guestlist signals that Macron is travelling to Beijing looking to do business – and hints at France’s likely priorities. From... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3335036/pandas-nuclear-power-what-macron-wants-his-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3335036/pandas-nuclear-power-what-macron-wants-his-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 07:47:38 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Over the past decade, the relationship between the European Union and China has changed from solid to one fraught with concerns. It was once characterised by frequent high-level visits to China, notably by former German chancellor Angela Merkel and French leaders, underscoring active bilateral engagement. When French President Emmanuel Macron arrives on Wednesday, things will not be the same. Central to escalating concern is the so-called Chinese “overcapacity” issue, when the real issue is that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3334870/macron-faces-tough-necessary-balancing-act-he-visits-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3334870/macron-faces-tough-necessary-balancing-act-he-visits-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu France hopes to establish a framework for ties between Brussels and Beijing “that serves mutual interests” when President Emmanuel Macron visits China next week, an Elysee Palace source said. “The purpose of [Macron’s] strategic conversation with President Xi Jinping is for Europe to be respected as a major partner of China and not as a variable in tensions,” the source – who chose to remain anonymous, citing professional norms in France – said during a briefing on Thursday. Macron will visit... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334490/macron-wants-ties-based-europe-being-major-partner-china-source-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334490/macron-wants-ties-based-europe-being-major-partner-china-source-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:00:58 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu Finbarr Bermingham,Xiaofei Xu European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will not join French President Emmanuel Macron on his state visit to China next week, the Post has learned, in a break from recent tradition. Macron has included the European Union on his past few engagements with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This was seen as an effort to “Europeanise” his dealings with Beijing. Von der Leyen went to Paris last year to meet Xi alongside Macron and also visited Beijing in 2023 alongside the two-term centrist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334427/eus-von-der-leyen-will-not-go-china-french-president-macron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334427/eus-von-der-leyen-will-not-go-china-french-president-macron?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:52:49 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu French President Emmanuel Macron will visit China next week and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Elysee Palace said in a statement on Wednesday. The three-day visit is scheduled to begin on December 3, with two stops in Beijing and Chengdu, according to the statement. “On this occasion, major issues relating to the strategic partnership between France and China will be addressed, as well as several major international matters and areas of cooperation aimed at tackling the global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334285/frances-emmanuel-macron-meet-xi-jinping-during-china-trip-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334285/frances-emmanuel-macron-meet-xi-jinping-during-china-trip-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:10:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe does not want to be a “vassal” that is dependent on US and Chinese tech companies, calling for a “European preference” in the sector. “Europe doesn’t want to be the client of the big entrepreneurs or the big solutions being provided either from the US or from China, we clearly want to design our own solutions,” Macron told a Berlin summit, adding that this stance represented “a refusal of being a vassal”. Macron was speaking at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333316/europe-refuses-be-tech-vassal-china-and-us-frances-macron-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333316/europe-refuses-be-tech-vassal-china-and-us-frances-macron-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 17:40:47 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Chinese ultra-fast fashion giant Shein is seeking dialogue with French authorities after Paris suspended the platform in a shock move on Wednesday. “Shein takes note of the government’s announcement today,” a spokesperson for the group told the Post. “We are committed to working with the French authorities to address any concerns swiftly, as we have always done, and we are seeking dialogue with the authorities and government bodies on this issue.” The announcement came as Shein opened its first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331690/chinese-retailer-shein-wants-dialogue-french-government-after-website-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331690/chinese-retailer-shein-wants-dialogue-french-government-after-website-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:27:42 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu This month, the Post’s Xiaofei Xu sat down with Deng Li, China’s ambassador to France and Monaco, for an in-depth and wide-ranging interview. In part one, Deng outlines China’s diplomatic strategy in Europe. China would like to see France lead Europe to become a truly independent power to help build a stable multipolar world, Beijing’s top diplomat to France told the South China Morning Post in an exclusive interview. Striking a positive tone on relations between Beijing and Paris despite... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330553/china-sees-europe-indispensable-force-stable-multipolar-world-amid-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330553/china-sees-europe-indispensable-force-stable-multipolar-world-amid-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:00:29 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu French economist Philippe Aghion issued a stark warning to Europe shortly after winning this year’s Nobel Prize, saying the continent was losing the technology race to China and the United States. “Europe needs to wake up. We’re falling behind technologically compared to the United States and now China,” the newly minted laureate said during public broadcaster France 2’s evening news programme on Monday. “Since the 1990s, they’ve been developing breakthroughs, hi-tech innovations, while we’ve... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328920/europe-losing-tech-race-china-and-us-nobel-prize-winner-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328920/europe-losing-tech-race-china-and-us-nobel-prize-winner-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:01:47 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Former French finance minister Eric Lombard accused the United States and China of killing free trade and called for the European Union to pursue a more “nationalistic” approach to trade policy in response during a speech in Paris on Thursday. “Free trade is over, it is dead,” Lombard told a summit on competitiveness organised by Politico in the French capital. He urged France and Europe to “wake up” to the fact that the US and China were employing unfair trade practices that deviate from free... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328509/us-and-china-have-killed-free-trade-former-french-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328509/us-and-china-have-killed-free-trade-former-french-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:15:25 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu A set of heavy Chinese wooden doors, slightly incongruous with the classical European streetscapes most associated with Paris, separates Sun Yiwen’s restaurant from the wine and cheese vendors that are traditional culinary landmarks in the French capital. Visitors crossing its threshold find themselves transported to a world of kaochuan – seasoned meat skewers popular in northeastern China – grilled chicken ribs and frozen pears. Her restaurant, Tonton Mao – “Uncle Mao” in French – is one of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327609/hao-appetit-paris-new-chinese-immigrants-spawn-authentic-restaurant-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327609/hao-appetit-paris-new-chinese-immigrants-spawn-authentic-restaurant-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:03:56 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Many Chinese tourists arriving in Paris in recent weeks have been surprised by the same thing: the quiet. August is the traditional holiday month in France, when most Parisians flee the capital for sunny beaches in the south or exotic destinations abroad. “The French have all left, some neighbourhoods have barely any people,” one user wrote on the Chinese social platform RedNote. Others posted photos of deserted boulevards near Parc Monceau and the Musée d’Orsay. But that has not stopped Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323654/chinese-tourists-love-affair-paris-deepens-visits-surge-15?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323654/chinese-tourists-love-affair-paris-deepens-visits-surge-15?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Aug 2025 06:00:12 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The Chinese business community in France is anxiously awaiting clarity on the country’s economic direction following French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s shock announcement on Monday that he plans to call a vote of confidence on his centrist minority government on September 8. His high-stakes gamble, which most political pundits expect to fail, is of particular concern for Chinese businesses because it could open the door to power for the protectionist far-right National Rally party. Bayrou... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3323360/what-worries-chinese-businesses-most-about-political-chaos-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3323360/what-worries-chinese-businesses-most-about-political-chaos-france?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:30:22 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. This piece, the third of a series of reports examining ties between the two powers, looks into attitudes towards Chinese investment in France. Born and raised in the central French town of Châteauroux, Laurent Joly has spent his entire life working in local factories. Throughout his 38-year career,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320774/frances-struggling-factories-need-investment-china-answer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320774/frances-struggling-factories-need-investment-china-answer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 06:00:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The European Union is facing growing calls to act against Beijing’s dominance over rare earth supply chains, highlighting persistent tensions just weeks before the coming EU-China summit. “Europe faces dual coercion: Trump’s tariffs and more threateningly, China’s strategic chokehold on rare earth exports,” said Bart Groothuis, MEP for Renew Europe, a centrist group in the European Parliament led by French President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party. “This is not collateral damage from the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317683/chinas-rare-earth-export-curbs-spark-eu-concerns-ahead-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317683/chinas-rare-earth-export-curbs-spark-eu-concerns-ahead-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Britain and France must work together to counter the world’s many destabilising threats and protect Europe from “excessive dependencies” on the United States and China. Macron, in a rare address to both houses of the British parliament, celebrated the return of closer ties between the two countries as he became the first European leader to be invited for a British state visit since Brexit. Having been greeted earlier by the British royal... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317458/uk-and-france-must-end-dependency-us-and-china-macron-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317458/uk-and-france-must-end-dependency-us-and-china-macron-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:10:01 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s new anti-dumping duty targeting European brandy unexpectedly became the toast of France over the weekend, after Beijing granted exemptions to a string of French cognac makers. The cordial reaction in Paris came as a surprise to many analysts, who had initially predicted that China’s decision to impose the tariff might further raise tensions with the European Union and sour preparations for an upcoming leaders’ summit in Beijing. But French leaders ended up hailing the ruling as a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317176/why-france-toasting-chinas-new-tariff-european-brandy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317176/why-france-toasting-chinas-new-tariff-european-brandy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 02:39:55 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has called for a “new international agreement” on Iran while accusing the United States and Israel of destabilising the Middle East through military actions on Iranian nuclear facilities. Speaking at a joint press conference with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris on Friday, Wang also voiced deep concerns about escalating tensions in the region and warned of the looming spectre of a “nuclear disaster”. His remarks came as Beijing, a key ally of an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317077/chinas-wang-yi-calls-new-international-agreement-iran-after-us-israeli-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317077/chinas-wang-yi-calls-new-international-agreement-iran-after-us-israeli-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:22:27 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Mia Nurmamat,Finbarr Bermingham Xiaofei Xu,Mia Nurmamat,Finbarr Bermingham China has decided to levy anti-dumping tariffs on European brandy, mostly produced in France, for the next five years – an announcement made while Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on his European tour seeking to resolve trade disputes and improve ties amid a reshuffle of global trade dynamics introduced by the United States. “There is dumping of related imported brandy from the EU, the domestic brandy industry faces a material threat of injury, and there is a causal relationship between the dumping... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3316945/china-levy-anti-dumping-tariffs-european-cognac?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3316945/china-levy-anti-dumping-tariffs-european-cognac?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 07:21:12 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Beijing has extended an olive branch to French cognac producers by promising a “significant” tax refund if they cooperate with its anti-dumping investigation into European Union brandy sold in China, according to an industry source with knowledge of the matter. Major brands Hennessy, Martell and Rémy Martin have been offered the terms, said the person, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue. To qualify, producers must agree to Beijing’s demands, commit to a minimum selling... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3316474/china-offers-tax-refund-french-cognac-makers-amid-eu-brandy-anti-dumping-probe-source?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3316474/china-offers-tax-refund-french-cognac-makers-amid-eu-brandy-anti-dumping-probe-source?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:00:11 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu After Chinese tariffs hammered the French cognac industry, Guilhem Grosperrin, director of the Grosperrin family brand, senses a long-awaited breakthrough – a breeze of optimism stirring in the bruised industry. Following recent talks between the two countries – including a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron – he said he was hopeful that Beijing’s duties on French cognac could soon be rolled back. “What we are hearing is that the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313035/french-cognac-businesses-hopeful-positive-china-talks-could-roll-back-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313035/french-cognac-businesses-hopeful-positive-china-talks-could-roll-back-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:30:13 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Eyebrows raised and brow furrowed into a puzzled smile, French President Emmanuel Macron held a model of a cleanly sculpted, sheer white truck. To his left, Wen Han, a 35-year-old Chinese entrepreneur, beamed through thick, black-rimmed glasses. In Macron’s hand was a miniature Windrose electric lorry, its sleek, forward-leaning nose and central driving position evoking science fiction more than the gritty world of road haulage. The Chinese company, founded by Han just three years ago, announced... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311672/job-creator-or-industry-killer-europes-ev-sector-faces-chinese-investment-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311672/job-creator-or-industry-killer-europes-ev-sector-faces-chinese-investment-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 08:00:15 +0000 French student Sara Leghtas was pleasantly surprised with her first purchase on Taobao, a household e-commerce name in China that she just discovered late last month. “Like many others, I found out about Taobao on TikTok,” the 19-year-old said. “There are tonnes of videos where people show off luxury-lookalike handbags they bought at very low prices.” The price was indeed very low for her: €35 (US$40) in total – the bag itself was just €10, while shipping and handling cost €25. It arrived from... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3307100/french-flock-chinese-e-commerce-bargains-hunt-agent-taobao-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3307100/french-flock-chinese-e-commerce-bargains-hunt-agent-taobao-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:00:13 +0000 For five months, debate has raged on how the return of US President Donald Trump, which has upended the West, will alter Europe’s relations with China. With a stream of senior European officials headed for Beijing, we may be about to get some answers. Alongside top-level figures from Brussels, which maintains a tough line towards Beijing, are representatives of capitals from Europe’s west and south that have advocated a softer approach and distance from Washington. Each will be asking for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3303729/trump-battered-europe-eyes-china-launch-diplomatic-flurry-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3303729/trump-battered-europe-eyes-china-launch-diplomatic-flurry-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 04:00:08 +0000 China has called for “all stakeholders” to be involved in Ukraine peace talks and pledged to work with France against “unipolar hegemony”. The commitment came on Tuesday during a phone call on Ukraine between Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. That same day US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed on a partial ceasefire, halting strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3302987/china-tells-france-all-stakeholders-should-play-role-ukraine-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3302987/china-tells-france-all-stakeholders-should-play-role-ukraine-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:10:35 +0000 The dust had barely settled on the recent EU ambassadors’ conference in Brussels when the European Union had to respond to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium imports, which it denounced. The brewing trade war between the United States and the rest of the world has made an era marked by global power shifts even more volatile. Some warn of the dangers of a “G-zero” world, when no power or group of powers is willing and able to drive a global... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3298262/amid-threats-free-trade-china-and-france-must-rise-above-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3298262/amid-threats-free-trade-china-and-france-must-rise-above-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Feb 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Lu Shaye, the former Chinese ambassador to France who stoked a series of high-profile controversies during a half-decade in Paris, has been appointed as Beijing’s special representative for European affairs. European Union authorities were recently notified of Lu’s appointment, marking a swift return to the political scene for an envoy who left France in December, several sources confirmed. Lu succeeds Wu Hongbo, who became the first holder of the office in 2019. Wu was dispatched to Europe on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3297525/lu-shaye-chinas-controversial-ex-envoy-france-handed-new-role-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3297525/lu-shaye-chinas-controversial-ex-envoy-france-handed-new-role-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 17:26:13 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the founder of the K11 Art Foundation (KAF) and former CEO of New World Development (NWD), recently met French President Emmanuel Macron, in his first high profile appearance of the new year. “I had the honour of meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and his cabinet last week, where we engaged in an inspiring discussion about the role of cultural exchange as a vital bridge connecting East and West,” Cheng said in a social media post on Monday. Cheng and Macron had a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3297192/k11s-adrian-cheng-resurfaces-french-cultural-exchange-president-emmanuel-macron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3297192/k11s-adrian-cheng-resurfaces-french-cultural-exchange-president-emmanuel-macron?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:06:10 +0000 China has named a diplomat with experience in North African and European affairs as the ambassador to France, succeeding Lu Shaye. Deng Li began his tenure after presenting his credentials to the French protocol chief Frederic Pied on Tuesday. “China-France relations have a solid foundation and broad prospects. I am committed to work with the French side to contribute to the greater progress of bilateral relations,” Deng said in a statement from the Chinese embassy in France. The appointment, in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3293857/chinas-deng-li-takes-reins-new-envoy-france-pledging-greater-progress-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3293857/chinas-deng-li-takes-reins-new-envoy-france-pledging-greater-progress-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jan 2025 05:55:44 +0000 China’s top diplomat has warned that a trade war between China and the European Union would result in a “lose-lose” situation and urged Beijing and Brussels to continue talks and strengthen their cooperation. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the comments on Saturday while meeting Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, at the 26th China-France Strategic Dialogue in Beijing, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “A trade war will only lead to a ‘lose-lose’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290871/china-eu-trade-war-lose-lose-situation-top-diplomat-wang-yi-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290871/china-eu-trade-war-lose-lose-situation-top-diplomat-wang-yi-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Dec 2024 14:00:07 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron is planning to visit China in the new year, as speculation swirls about Beijing’s potential role in ending the Ukraine war. According to several sources familiar with the matter, Macron’s trusted diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne travelled this week to Beijing with a team of aides to lay the groundwork for a trip by the French leader. Bonne’s visit was timed to coincide with Macron’s return this week from Poland. There, Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290576/emmanuel-macron-plans-china-visit-amid-talk-beijing-taking-role-help-end-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290576/emmanuel-macron-plans-china-visit-amid-talk-beijing-taking-role-help-end-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 19:30:54 +0000