Macron in China: these agreements and contracts signed during the visit of the head of state

Europe 1 with AFP 16:11 p.m., April 06, 2023

As always, this is one of the issues at stake in the visit of a head of state to China. Emmanuel Macron concludes his trip this Friday, and the president will not leave in France empty-handed. New assembly line for Airbus, exhibition at the Forbidden City, offshore wind turbines: several agreements and contracts were signed or discussed during this trip. Europe 1 takes stock of the main contracts signed or discussed, sector by sector.

Airbus

The aircraft manufacturer will be able to double its aircraft production capacity in China, thanks to a second assembly line at its site in Tianjin, near Beijing. It is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2025. Airbus has already had one since 2008, which has produced more than 600 A320s. The Chinese air market is the second largest in the world.

EDF

The energy group EDF and the Chinese nuclear giant CGN have renewed their global partnership agreement, in force since 2007. It covers the design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. This agreement enabled EDF to build with CGN the only EPR installation currently in service in the world, in Taishan, in southern China.

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EDF has also signed cooperation agreements with the electricity companies CHN Energy and for an offshore wind project and an equity investment in an existing onshore site.

CMA-CGM

The Marseille shipowner CMA-CGM, number three worldwide, has signed an agreement with Cosco, the Chinese number one, and the port of Shanghai for the supply of bio-methanol and e-methanol.

Suez

Water and waste management champion Suez has been awarded a contract via a consortium for an unspecified seawater desalination project.

L'Oréal

The world's number one cosmetics company, L'Oréal, has sealed a three-year partnership with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba on "sustainable consumption".

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Food

The French pork industry has obtained 15 new authorizations from the Chinese authorities for more exports to China. Pork is by far the most consumed meat in this country of 1.4 billion people and is a staple in many Chinese dishes.

Versailles and the Forbidden City

The Palace of Versailles and the Forbidden City have agreed to an exhibition in China next year. Initially scheduled for 2020, it will finally take place in the year of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China. 150 objects from the Versailles collections will be presented to the Chinese public to evoke the exchanges between the two countries in the eighteenth century.