French President Macron visited Guangzhou, Guangdong, China on April 7th. Among the business delegation accompanying Macron to Guangdong, there are many French corporate titans that have already invested in Guangdong, including electric power company Electricite De France (EDF), aerospace company Airbus, transportation company Alstom, and food and beverage company Danone Group, etc. Guangdong is the largest province in China's foreign trade. Currently, Guangdong accounts for about 20% of the total trade volume between China and France.
New opportunities in energy
In the economic and trade cooperation between China and France, the energy sector is a major focus that cannot be ignored.
The Daya Bay nuclear power plant, the first large-scale GW-class nuclear power plant in mainland China, marked the first milestone in nuclear energy cooperation between the two countries. What’s more, with a total investment of 4 billion dollars, the plant was the largest joint project in China during the early stages of reform and opening up, and also a landmark of the policy.
In the 1990s, China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) continued to work with France to build the first phase of Ling Ao nuclear power plant. In the 21st century, CGN and EDF cooperated again to build the Taishan nuclear power plant.
In the field of hydrogen energy, Nicolas Poirot, President and CEO of Air Liquide China, said that Guangdong has built a good foundation in hydrogen supply and transportation. In addition to the production of hydrogen, the construction of hydrogen refueling stations is also a big challenge, but Guangdong has made great progress in this area currently.
Big market
More than 30 years ago, Danone's investment in China began in Guangdong province. "Embracing a population of over 120 million, Guangdong is one of the world's largest manufacturing bases, whose production can meet the needs not only from China but also around the world," said Jacques Ponty, Senior Vice President of Danone China, in an interview with Yangcheng Evening News.
Chen Jiayuan, CEO of the North Asia Region in Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), noted that Guangzhou is at the center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area referring to the youngest urban cluster in terms of population structure in China. Therefore, for companies like LDC that are committed to cultivating the Chinese consumer market, such population structure and market potential are very important.
Pacesetter for science and technology innovation
Airbus, a European aircraft manufacturer giant, began to conduct businesses in Guangdong years ago for innovation. In 2017, Airbus China Innovation Centre settled in Shenzhen, Guangdong, which is the second global center after the first one in Silicon Valley, USA, and also the only one in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sanofi, a leading global healthcare company, has been active in the Chinese market for over 40 years. In the Ping Shan district of Shenzhen, Sanofi has invested 1.7 billion RMB to build a vaccine factory, which is the first and only foreign-funded vaccine factory in China. Thomas Triomphe, Global Vice President of Sanofi's vaccine division, stated that the highly-open business environment created by Guangdong for foreign investors contributes to the company's steady development in China.
深度解读：中法经贸合作的三个关键词
4月7日，法国总统马克龙到访广东广州。这次随马克龙来访广东的企业团中，不乏已在粤投资布局的法国企业巨头，包括法国电力公司（EDF）、空客、阿尔斯通、达能集团等。广东是中国外贸第一大省，目前，中国对法贸易总额中，广东占到约五分之一。
能源新机遇
在中法的经贸合作中，能源领域的合作往来是不得不提的一大重点。
中国大陆首座百万千瓦级大型核电站——大亚湾核电站，是中法两国开启核能合作的首个“里程碑”。大亚湾核电站总投资达40亿美元，是改革开放初期中国最大的合资项目，也是中国改革开放的标志性工程。
20世纪90年代，中广核继续与法国合作建设了岭澳核电站一期。进入21世纪，中广核与法国电力集团再度携手，共同建设台山核电站。
在氢能领域，法国液化空气集团大中华区总裁兼首席执行官柏昊天（Nicolas Poirot）表示：“广东在氢能的供应与运输上具备了很好的基础。在生产氢能外，加氢站建设也是一大挑战，但目前广东在这方面的进度非常快。”
消费大市场
30多年前，达能在中国的投资从广东开始。“广东有超过1.2亿人口，是世界上最大制造业基地之一，可以对接来自中国以及世界各地的需求。”达能饮用水和饮料大中华区高级副总裁庞雅克（Jacques Ponty）在接受羊城晚报全媒体记者采访时表示。
路易达孚集团北亚区首席执行官陈嘉渊（Chen Jiayuan）表示，广州是粤港澳大湾区的中心城市，大湾区又是中国人口结构最为年轻的城市群，对于像达孚这样致力于培养中国消费市场的公司而言，这样的人口结构和市场潜力十分重要。
科创新高地
欧洲空中客车公司（以下简称“空客”）多年前便开始在广东布局相关业务，这离不开一个关键词——创新。2017年，空中客车（中国）创新中心落户深圳，这是该集团继在美国硅谷设立创新中心之后，在全球设立的第二家创新中心，也是亚太地区唯一一家创新中心。
法国企业赛诺菲，是一家全球领先的医药健康企业。赛诺菲在中国市场已经活跃40余年。在广东深圳坪山区，赛诺菲疫苗先后投资17亿元人民币打造疫苗工厂，是中国首个也是目前唯一的外资疫苗工厂。赛诺菲疫苗事业部全球副总裁托马斯·特伦普（Thomas Triomphe）表示，企业在中国稳步发展，得益于广东为外商所打造的极具开放性的营商环境。
文/羊城晚报全媒体记者 孙绮曼 孙晶 程行欢 陈泽云 李志文
图/梁喻 林桂炎 何奔 贺全胜
翻译/白心怡
责编 | 戚美青
校对 | 周勇
