Paris and Beijing eye stronger ties on AI and shared global priorities

China and France are deepening their bilateral relationship, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and global governance amid shifting international dynamics. Recent high-level dialogues were held during the 27th China-France Strategic Dialogue in Hangzhou this week.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and French Presidential Diplomatic Adviser Emmanuel Bonne discussed the current political uncertainty, potential cooperation in new technologies, and the pursuit of a more balanced global order.

China and France expand cooperation in AI and clean energy

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China will collaborate with France in the fields of civil nuclear energy, aerospace, agriculture, food, artificial intelligence, and new energy industries. He believes that both countries should continue to hold frequent and high-level meetings and expand cooperation in projects that will provide their people with better opportunities for education, employment, and development.

Wang Yi also said that China hopes France will provide “solid political guarantees” to support the stable and long-term relationship between the two countries. He added that China respects France for consistently pursuing an independent foreign policy, which enables it to make its own decisions based on fairness and reason, rather than outside pressure. 

Emmanuel Bonne said France values its relationship with China and wants to work together in trade, science, technology, and environmental protection. He believes cooperation between China and Europe should continue, so that nations can build strong communication and avoid conflict.

Chinese experts said that France plays a crucial role in shaping Europe’s foreign policy and can help promote a more pragmatic and fair attitude toward China. They explained that closer cooperation between the two countries could help them handle the many economic and political challenges that the world faces today. 

Both nations push for dialogue on global challenges and Europe-China ties

Minister Wang Yi and Emmanuel Bonne discussed the war in Ukraine, the tensions in the Middle East, and the need for reforming the global governance system to address the challenges better. They stated that the world today faces numerous complex problems, and no country can solve these problems on its own.

Wang Yi said that China hopes France will continue to promote the idea of the European Union’s “strategic autonomy.” He explained that Europe should be able to make its own choices in foreign and economic policy based on its own interests, rather than following the lead of other powers. He added that partnership and cooperation should guide China-EU relations, not competition or confrontation.

Observers noted that the latest talks indicated that both sides still prioritize stability and cooperation over confrontation. French analysts said Europe wants to strengthen its relationship with China to help reduce its dependence on other economic powers and to open new opportunities. They said China could also help Europe manage its current trade tensions with the United States and enhance its access to the fast-growing Asian markets.

Experts said the partnership between the two countries can lead to breakthroughs in  AI, clean energy, and green industry because China is already specialized in research and advanced energy technologies.

Some argue that maintaining open communication between China and the European Union can help both sides avoid misunderstandings, manage differences more effectively, and collaborate on shared challenges.

Amid plans for increased China-French cooperation, Chinese hackers have allegedly infiltrated British classified computer systems for more than a decade. British government documents recognized Beijing’s spying as a risk to the economy and to democratic institutions.

China routinely plundered low-level classified UK government information on government servers for up to a decade, say former senior security officials and government sources. This included “official-sensitive” and “secret” documents as well as material held on secure government IT networks.

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