China, France to strengthen agricultural cooperation, pledging to open doors wider to each other

The Chinese and French heads of state have reaffirmed the vital role of the agricultural sector in the bilateral relationship, vowing that both countries will strengthen cooperation in various areas, including boosting certain French agricultural exports to China.

On Monday, the two countries issued a joint statement on agricultural exchanges and cooperation, covering a wide range of areas from agricultural education and scientific and technological innovation to exports. 

Notably, the two countries pledged to continue to actively explore ways to completely lift the export ban on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-free beef products on the basis of ensuring safety, according to the joint statement. 

BSE is a transmissible and fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects cattle.

The joint statement also said that the two countries will work to expand French pork exports to China, and provide guarantees for market access and safety of poultry products. They will also work to expand cooperation in the wine industry, including jointly improving the development level of grapes and wine-making.

The agriculture and food industry has become an increasingly important highlight of China-France cooperation in recent years, which also focuses on aviation, aerospace, nuclear energy and green development. 

China has gradually expanded market access for a growing number of French agricultural produce. 

As of mid-2023, more than 200 types of French agricultural and food products, including aquatic products, dairy products, meat products, breeding livestock, breeding poultry, and fruits, were allowed to be exported to China, according to the Xinhua News Agency. In total, nearly 7,000 agricultural and food product production companies from France are currently registered in China.

Within the EU, France is the biggest source of agricultural imports for China, and is China's second largest partner in agricultural trading, according to China's General Administration of Customs.