It is hoped that more French and European companies will continue to develop their business operations in China and share its development opportunities, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said on Tuesday.
He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with Frédéric Oudéa, chairman of the board of directors of French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.
He said that economic and trade cooperation between China, France, and the broader European continent has many converging interests and strong complementarities, providing broad space for development.
China is continuously opening up to the outside world at a high level and building a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, He said, welcoming more French and European companies, including Sanofi Group, to continue to develop in China and share its development opportunities.
Oudéa said that Sanofi Group is optimistic about the prospects of China's economic development and is willing to deepen its presence in the Chinese market and contribute more practical results to the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and France and between China and Europe.
Chinese vice premier encourages foreign firms to continuously invest, develop in China
Chinese vice premier encourages foreign firms to continuously invest, develop in China
Senior representatives from major regional news media organizations, gathering at the ongoing 12th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) in China, say they are looking to amplify the voices of the media in the Global South to help consolidate cooperation and friendship in an ever more challenging global environment.
The forum opened in Quanzhou in east China's Fujian Province on Tuesday, bringing together 200 media representatives from over 60 countries and regions in the historic coastal city.
By working more closely together, media organizations in the Global South can reap rewards that might otherwise be unavailable, according to Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcast Union.
"If we work together, there is an opportunity for us to bring out the best from these Global South countries who have much less resources," he said.
Other media representatives at the VMF stressed that in challenging times, it is even more important for developing countries to have their voices heard on the global stage.
"[The Global] South media have a lot of responsibility to build a new opinion," said Issoufou Sare, Director-General of BF1 Television.
"[The media can provide] solutions for misunderstandings or stereotypes. So the media have a major role. They can bridge our cultures and make us know each other better," said Feten Fardi, head of Arab and International Cooperation Unit, Arab States Broadcasting Union.
The event also witnessed the launch of the "Global South Media Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism and Joint Initiative," a program to support closer cooperation led by China Media Group.
"That will help to promote our voices, our realities to make the world know better about our customs, realities, about our history, about our culture, customs, about our problems, but also our achievements," said Martin Hacthoun, chief editor of Press Latina News Agency.
The two-day VMF is being held under the theme "Intelligence Without Frontiers, Vision Beyond The Horizon -- Media's Role in Communication and Cultural Exchange."
Launched by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) in 2011, the VMF is an annual professional journalism forum focusing on the latest trends and innovations in news and journalism, which provides a highly specialized, unique and interactive platform for domestic and foreign media peers.
Media groups aim to amplify voice of Global South at VMF
