French Foreign Trade Minister Forissier to Visit China, Supporting French Exports Expanding into the Chinese Market
The French representative minister for foreign trade, Nicolas Forissier, will visit China starting on Tuesday, November 03. This is his first trip since taking office. The visit comes amid escalating U.S.-China tariff tensions, as China shifts some exports to other markets around the world. Forissier's visit aims to "support French exports and help companies better enter the Chinese market."
According to AFP, the minister's office introduced to the media on Monday that one of Forissier's main activities during the visit is attending the China International Import Expo held in Shanghai. This year's French delegation is large, with 120 French companies participating, including luxury giants LVMH, Kering, as well as many small and medium-sized enterprises.
The minister's office stated that Forissier's visit aims to "support French exports and help companies better enter the Chinese market." No formal meetings with Chinese officials have been scheduled yet.
Forissier's visit to China has a complex background. The ongoing tariff war between the two largest economies, the United States and China, has led China to adjust its export layout, shifting some goods originally aimed at the U.S. market to Europe and Asia. According to Chinese customs data, despite an uncertain external environment, China's export data in July this year showed strong performance, exceeding economists' expectations, mainly due to growth in trade with Europe and Asia.
Data on foreign trade published by the French customs for June 2025 and the second quarter also reflects similar trends: imports from China, Southeast Asia, and Mexico have increased significantly. The report pointed out that this change "has raised questions about whether some exports may be redirected to the French and EU markets."
Forissier's visit also includes plans to meet with industry representatives who have encountered difficulties operating in China, especially in the agricultural and food processing sectors. The minister's office noted that this sector has been subject to investigations in recent years.
In early September this year, Chinese authorities announced anti-dumping duties on European pork, which came after the EU announced plans to impose additional tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. This "reciprocal" trade measure has severely impacted the French pig farming industry - China is its largest overseas market.
In fact, as early as last year, Beijing had imposed restrictions on European brandy imports, mainly affecting French Cognac producers.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847809426661388/
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