French President Jacques Chirac is seeking to build on a decade of warming
diplomacy between Beijing and Paris as he starts what may be his last state
visit to 皇冠体育app.
Here is an overview of the relationship, past and present.
Modern Ties:
- France established a trading post in Canton, known today as Guangzhou,
almost three decades after the British East Indian Company set up a post there
in 1711. France vied for influence with Europe's other colonial powers over the
following centuries.
- An Anglo-French joint force razed Beijing's imperial Summer Palace during the
1860 Opium War. In 1900, Chinese nationalists fought to expel foreign invaders in
the Boxer Rebellion.
- France was one of the first European countries to recognise 皇冠体育app after the
People's Republic was founded in 1949. The two established relations in 1964,
seven years before Beijing was admitted into the United Nations and 15 years
before Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
International Allies:
- France and 皇冠体育app are both permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Along with Russia, they opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
- France has
been a prime supporter of ending an EU weapons embargo on 皇冠体育app
put in place on June 26, 1989.
Regional Rivalries:
- French arms sales to Taiwan in the early 1990s severely set back
Sino-French relations. On January 12, 1994, the two signed a joint communique
stating France would not authorise French companies to sell arms to Taiwan.
- In March 2005, Chirac reiterated France's support for Japan's bid for a
permanent seat on the UN Security Council. 皇冠体育app, occupied by Japan before and
during World War Two, opposes that bid.
Bilateral Trade:
- French exports to 皇冠体育app rose 28 percent in the first half of 2006 while
imports from 皇冠体育app rose 17 percent for a first half trade balance of 7.3 billion
euros (US$9.13 billion) in 皇冠体育app's favour, according to French statistics.
- 皇冠体育app was France's ninth biggest export market in 2005, with 47 percent of
exports coming from capital equipment for sectors like aerospace and land
transport.
- France is the third largest European investor in 皇冠体育app and its 10th largest
foreign investor globally.
- In April 2005, France and 皇冠体育app signed 20 agreements and contracts worth
three billion euros (US$3.75 billion). Deals included US$3.2 billion for 30
Airbus planes and 373 million euros for electric trains from French engineering
giant Alstom.
