Chinese Young Entrepreneurs Delegation Visits France at the Invitation of the Foundation for Prospective and Innovation, Advancing Pragmatic Cooperation Between Chinese and French Youth
At the invitation of the Foundation for Prospective and Innovation, a delegation of 15 Chinese young entrepreneurs led by Zhang Hua, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Young Entrepreneurs Association (CAYEA), visited Paris and Tours, France, from May 20 to 24 for a friendly exchange.
In Paris, the delegation was received by Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Chairman of the Foundation for Prospective and Innovation, Special Envoy of the French President for China Affairs, and former Prime Minister of France. Raffarin congratulated both sides on the successful “China–France Young Leaders Roundtable” held earlier this year in Shanghai and Suzhou, and expressed his appreciation for CAYEA’s thoughtful arrangements. He noted that in recent years, the Foundation and CAYEA have maintained close ties and, within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, young entrepreneurs from both countries have leveraged their respective strengths to carry out a series of pragmatic cooperation activities with remarkable results. He emphasized the importance of giving full play to the innovative role of youth in politics, economy, and culture, supporting the development of young people and small and micro enterprises, and encouraged the delegation to actively tell China’s story, dispel doubts in Western society, and foster a favorable international environment for peaceful development.
Zhang Hua thanked Raffarin for his long-standing efforts to promote pragmatic cooperation between China and France, and introduced the progress of CAYEA’s internationalization. He stated that CAYEA will work with French partners, including the Foundation for Prospective and Innovation, to improve the China–France young entrepreneurs exchange and cooperation mechanism and enhance the level of cooperation. He also introduced the “International Cooperation Week for Innovation and Development of Young Entrepreneurs,” expressing the hope to deepen cooperation in areas such as SME internationalization, business succession, and innovation interaction, thereby stimulating the innovative vitality of young entrepreneurs in both countries.
During the visit, the delegation held a working meeting with Gérard Larcher, Director-General of the Foundation for Prospective and Innovation. Both sides agreed that exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and French young entrepreneurs have achieved fruitful results and will continue to explore the construction of cooperation mechanisms. Gilles Parisot, President of the European Exhibition Group, hosted a working luncheon for the delegation, expressing willingness to open organizational resources to help Chinese young entrepreneurs better participate in international cooperation, and invited CAYEA to attend the “China–Europe Green and Smart City Summit” to be held in China.
In Paris, the delegation visited L’Oréal Group, Simon Law Firm, Roland Berger International Management Consulting Co., Ltd., and Eurazeo Investment Fund, engaging in in-depth exchanges on topics such as new retail in consumer goods, strategic management, investment and mergers & acquisitions, and legal services. They also visited the Silk Road Asia Business Center and discussed trade cooperation with AR France Investment Group.
In Tours, the delegation co-hosted the “China–France Young Leaders Roundtable” with the Foundation for Prospective and Innovation, where representatives from both sides exchanged views on China–France economic and trade cooperation and global economic development. They reached broad consensus on cooperation in big data applications, new energy vehicles, human resources development, biomedicine, consumer goods R&D, and modern agriculture. The Tours Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a special cooperation exchange meeting for the delegation, introducing the city’s industrial structure, scientific research, and foreign investment, and expressed the hope to cooperate in biopharmaceuticals and new materials. The delegation also visited the Tours Handicraft Manufacturing Center to learn about the operation of French small and micro enterprises, and toured the MAME-37 Invention and Innovation Center.
During the visit, the delegation also called on Gao Yuanyuan, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in France, and exchanged views with leaders of the French Young Leaders Center, French Chinese TV, and the Europe Zhejiang Chinese Association on participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
