May 2, 2024. Paris – Mutual respect is key to smoothly managing international competition and collaboration between China, France, and other global players, according to remarks made by CEIBS President (European) Professor Dominique Turpin at an international forum in Paris.

The Second France-China Forum on Global Governance, co-organised by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) and the China-Europe-America Global Initiative with the high patronage of the Information Office of the State Council of China and China International Communication Group (CICG), was timed to coincide with the pinnacle of a year commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France and exemplified by a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to France just days after the forum.

The event aimed to discuss the past, present and future of France-China relations at a time of global change and uncertainty, while reaffirming a shared commitment to collaboration in security, economics, and environmental issues. AI and other emerging technologies also took centre stage in the discussions.

Professor Turpin’s remarks were made during a panel discussion on the theme “Transitional Multilateralism: Technological Innovation and Development”, which he participated in alongside other distinguished academics, economists, and leading business figures. As President (European) of CEIBS, a school co-founded by the European Union and Chinese government that demonstrates international cooperation through business education, Professor Turpin emphasized the importance of empathy, humility and respect on both sides when it comes to managing competition between two parties that don’t always see eye to eye on important issues, highlighting it as a pre-requisite for an effective working relationship.

Professor Turpin went on to discuss key features and outlooks for China’s economy in the near future, and their implications for the bilateral relationship. He noted that, although the Chinese economy is facing significant headwinds, the country’s sheer size and the sophistication of its industries still leave it well-placed to remain an engine of global growth. To demonstrate this, Professor Turpin noted that the country is likely to grow by the equivalent of the entire GDP of Thailand in 2024.

Highlighting changes to China’s economy and output, Professor Turpin also noted the fact that Chinese companies expanding abroad are increasingly competing in terms of innovation and technology rather than simply on low costs, as has been the case in previous years. With China’s increasing competitiveness in industries previously dominated by other nations, such as automotive, knowledge and acceptance of this will be vital to effective competition in the coming years.

Other distinguished participants in the event included David Gosset, Founder of the China-Europe-America Global Initiative, who acted as moderator of the event’s opening ceremony, and Laurent Fabius, Former Prime Minister of France, who delivered the event’s insightful opening speech.