CHENGDU, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The first ten months of this year saw exports from France to southwest China's Sichuan Province surge to 3.51 billion yuan (about 496 million U.S. dollars), marking a year-on-year increase of 32.7 percent.
This growth is vividly illustrated by the China-Europe Railway Express, with trains arriving in Chengdu from Lyon and other European cities regularly carrying French goods for Chinese consumers. Exports of French cosmetics alone has exceeded 600 million yuan so far this year.
Beyond trade, French investment in Sichuan spans multiple sectors. For instance, Airbus operates an aircraft service center in Chengdu, which provides comprehensive technical services for aging aircraft and supports the aviation industry's shift toward a circular economy.
In the electronics sector, French industrial gases giant Air Liquide supplies industrial gases to manufacturers across Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality.
Danone, a food and beverage multinational, runs a major production and logistics base in Qionglai City of Sichuan Province, serving consumers throughout southwest China.
The partnership also extends to finance and digital creativity. Groupama SDIG Property Insurance, a French company in Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan, has 263 branches across 12 provinces, achieving five consecutive years of profit growth.
Meanwhile, the Chengdu studio of French video-game company Ubisoft has become a key production hub for the company's flagship games by leveraging Chengdu's booming digital creative industry and vast market.
"Through games, we build bridges for cultural dialogue," said Shu Xinyu, studio manager of Ubisoft Chengdu, expressing confidence that the city's unique blend of culture and digital vitality will foster more exceptional creative works.
Collaboration between Sichuan and France continues to expand across aerospace, automotive, environmental protection and education sectors, with provincial authorities pledging to further deepen these ties and promote mutual growth, according to the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Economic Cooperation. ■
