How can you not love this exhibition title? A real call to unite around the construction of a common future.
This exhibition is part of this year which celebrates sixty years of Franco-Chinese exchanges and cooperation, but it brings a new vision: that of financial openness.
The year 2024 marks a major milestone in France-China relations. Celebrating 60 years of diplomatic and economic exchanges, this year is also designated as the Franco-Chinese Year of Cultural Tourism, highlighting the importance of bilateral ties. In this context, the exhibition entitled “Together for the Future: A New Path to Financial Openness” organized by ICBC-AXA Assurance Co., Ltd. at Galerie Oriental – 85 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris, stands as an important milestone in this cooperation. Taking place from September 10 to 13, 2024, this event is a continuation of the flourishing economic relations between our two nations.
The exhibition: a symbol of openness and financial cooperation
The exhibition organized by ICBC-AXA Assurance, a key player in the Sino-French financial field, is distinguished by its historical and prospective dimension. It brings together around 70 photographs, offering visitors an in-depth view of the evolution of financial exchanges between China and France. These images document not only the transformation of the Chinese financial sector, but also how France and China have collaborated to create synergies in this key field.
This exhibition highlights the fruits of long-standing cooperation, while paving the way for new forms of partnerships in a context where Chinese financial markets are increasingly opening up to French companies. This event benefits from significant support from influential institutions such as the Xinhua News Agency and its Paris Bureau, as well as the Liaowang Institute.
A historical context and future perspectives
Franco-Chinese relations, officially established in 1964 under the leadership of General de Gaulle, have seen steady progress. This diplomatic partnership has since been the foundation of numerous economic and financial agreements, and the exhibition “Together for the Future” reflects this dynamic. ICBC-AXA Assurance, a joint venture between the French insurer AXA, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and China Minmetals Corporation, is a good illustration of this spirit of cooperation.
During the opening ceremony, Benoit Moreau, Deputy Chief Risk Officer of AXA SA, recalled the importance of this doubly symbolic event, marking both 60 years of diplomatic relations and 25 years of AXA’s presence on the Chinese market. AXA, a leading player on the global financial scene, has capitalized on China’s gradual opening to develop strategic partnerships in the insurance sector. “For more than two decades, AXA has established itself as a pioneer in the Chinese financial market, taking advantage of the gradual opening of this strategic market,” Mr. Moreau emphasized.
A financial sector in full transformation
Wang Dufu, Chairman of ICBC-AXA Insurance, stressed the central role of the Chinese and French financial sectors in boosting bilateral economic exchanges. He noted that the two countries have made significant progress in various fields, including trade finance, strategic partnerships, and the interconnection of financial markets. The collaboration between regulators of the two countries has facilitated investment and trade, thus enhancing the stability and prosperity of their respective markets.
This exhibition also marks the continued evolution of financial relations, with prospects for openness and common regulation that benefit both parties. France, for example, has become a major pole of attraction for Chinese investments in Europe. Indeed, Léon Laulusa, Executive President and Dean of ESCP Business School, recalled that France, ahead of Germany, is today the main beneficiary of Chinese investments in Europe. “It is crucial that Sino-French friendly relations continue to strengthen, particularly in the financial sector,” he added.
A promising future for Franco-Chinese financial cooperation
The opening of Chinese markets, both financially and commercially, presents a unique opportunity for French companies, which can thus access one of the most dynamic markets in the world. The exhibition “Together for the Future” reflects this ambition to continue and deepen exchanges, while exploring new avenues for cooperation. In a global context of economic transformations, Chinese and French actors continue to play a key role in regulating financial exchanges, facilitating investments, and creating new financial instruments adapted to the needs of both markets.
At the same time, this event is part of a broader vision of economic openness that China has adopted over the past decades. By strengthening its ties with key partners such as France, China seeks to promote a collaborative approach to global markets. As such, the expo is not only a retrospective of past successes, but also a springboard to new opportunities for investment and partnerships in the financial sector.
The exhibition “Together for the Future” not only celebrates sixty years of diplomatic relations, it also marks the beginning of a new era for French-Chinese financial exchanges. In an increasingly interdependent world, where markets are evolving rapidly, this event provides a platform to strengthen economic and financial ties between the two countries. Sino-French cooperation, particularly in the financial field, is set to play a central role in the years to come, to the mutual benefit of two nations that have forged a solid and lasting relationship.
The exhibition ran until September 13, 2024 at the Oriental Gallery, a space that symbolizes the intersection of cultures and ambitions between China and France. This emblematic place in the French capital thus bears witness to the common desire to continue to write together a new chapter in the history of Sino-French relations, in the financial field and beyond.
*SONIA BRESSLER is the founder of The Silk Road – Editions
