This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. From the first nuclear power
cooperation in 1978 to today’s fruitful results in nuclear energy, oil and gas, renewable energy and other fields, energy cooperation is an
important part of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership. Facing the future, the road of win-win cooperation between China
and France continues, and China-France energy cooperation is turning from “new” to “green”.
On the morning of May 11, President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing by special plane after concluding his state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Sixty years ago, China and
France broke the ice of the Cold War, crossed the camp divide, and established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level; 60 years later,
as independent major countries and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and France responded to the instability
of the world with the stability of China-France relations.
From the first nuclear power cooperation in 1978 to today’s fruitful results in nuclear energy, oil and gas, renewable energy and other fields,
energy cooperation is an important part of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership. Facing the future, the road of win-win
cooperation between China and France continues, and China-France energy cooperation is turning from “new” to “green”.
Started with nuclear power, partnership continues to deepen
Sino-French energy cooperation began with nuclear power. In December 1978, China announced its decision to purchase equipment for two
nuclear power plants from France. Subsequently, the two parties jointly built the first large-scale commercial nuclear power plant in mainland
China, the CGN Guangdong Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, and the long-term cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear
energy began. Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant is not only China’s largest Sino-foreign joint venture project in the early days of reform and
opening up, but also a landmark project in China’s reform and opening up. Today, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant has been operating
safely for 30 years and has contributed to the economic and social development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
“France is the first Western country to carry out civil nuclear energy cooperation with China.” Fang Dongkui, secretary-general of the EU-China
Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview with a reporter from China Energy News, “The two countries have a long history of cooperation
in this field, starting in 1982. Since the signing of the first cooperation protocol on peaceful uses of nuclear energy, China and France have
always adhered to the policy of equal emphasis on scientific and technological cooperation and industrial cooperation, and nuclear energy
cooperation has become one of the most stable areas of cooperation between China and France.”
From Daya Bay to Taishan and then to Hinkley Point in the UK, Sino-French nuclear energy cooperation has gone through three stages: “France
takes the lead, China assists” to “China takes the lead, France supports”, and then “jointly designs and jointly builds”. an important stage.
Entering the new century, China and France jointly built the Guangdong Taishan Nuclear Power Station using European advanced pressurized
water reactor (EPR) third-generation nuclear power technology, making it the first EPR reactor in the world. The largest cooperation project in
the energy sector.
This year, nuclear energy cooperation between China and France has continued to achieve fruitful results. On February 29, the International
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world’s largest “artificial sun”, officially signed a vacuum chamber module assembly contract
with a Sino-French consortium led by CNNC Engineering. On April 6, CNNC Chairman Yu Jianfeng and EDF Chairman Raymond jointly
signed the “Blue Book Memorandum of Understanding on “Prospective Research on Nuclear Energy Supporting Low-Carbon Development”".
CNNC and EDF will discuss the use of nuclear energy to support low-carbon energy. The two parties will jointly conduct forward-looking
research on the technological development direction and market development trends in the field of nuclear energy. On the same day, Li Li,
deputy secretary of the CGN Party Committee, and Raymond, chairman of EDF, signed the “Signing Statement on Cooperation Agreement
on Design and Procurement, Operation and Maintenance, and R&D in the Nuclear Energy Field.”
In Fang Dongkui’s view, Sino-French cooperation in the field of nuclear energy has promoted the development of the two countries’ economic
and energy strategies and has had a positive impact. For China, the development of nuclear energy is firstly to promote the diversification of
energy structure and energy security, secondly to achieve technological progress and improvement of independent capabilities, thirdly to
achieve significant environmental benefits, and fourthly to promote economic growth and create jobs. For France, there are unlimited business
opportunities for Sino-French nuclear energy cooperation. China’s huge energy market provides French nuclear energy companies such as
EDF with huge development opportunities. Not only can they achieve profits through projects in China, but they will also further enhance their
position in the global nuclear energy market. .
Sun Chuanwang, a professor at the China Economic Research Center of Xiamen University, told a reporter from China Energy News that
Sino-French nuclear power cooperation is not only a deep integration of energy technology and economic development, but also a common
manifestation of the two countries’ energy strategic choices and global governance responsibilities.
Complementing each other’s advantages, energy cooperation turns from “new” to “green”
Sino-French energy cooperation begins with nuclear power, but it goes beyond nuclear power. In 2019, Sinopec and Air Liquide signed a
memorandum of cooperation to discuss strengthening cooperation in the field of hydrogen energy. In October 2020, the Guohua Investment
Jiangsu Dongtai 500,000-kilowatt offshore wind power project jointly constructed by China Energy Group and EDF was launched, marking
the official launch of my country’s first Sino-foreign joint venture offshore wind power project.
On May 7 this year, Ma Yongsheng, Chairman of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, and Pan Yanlei, Chairman and CEO of Total
Energy, respectively signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Paris, France on behalf of their respective companies. Based on the existing
cooperation, the two companies will Utilize the resources, technology, talents and other advantages of both parties to jointly explore cooperation
opportunities in the entire industry chain such as oil and gas exploration and development, natural gas and LNG, refining and chemicals,
engineering trade and new energy.
Ma Yongsheng said that Sinopec and Total Energy are important partners. The two parties will take this cooperation as an opportunity to continue
to deepen and expand cooperation and explore cooperation opportunities in low-carbon energy fields such as sustainable aviation fuel, green
hydrogen, and CCUS. , making positive contributions to the green, low-carbon and sustainable development of the industry.
In March this year, Sinopec also announced that it would jointly produce sustainable aviation fuel with Total Energy to help the international
aviation industry achieve green and low-carbon development. The two parties will cooperate to build a sustainable aviation fuel production line
in a refinery of Sinopec, using waste Oils and fats produce sustainable aviation fuel and provide better green and low-carbon solutions.
Sun Chuanwang said that China has a huge energy market and efficient equipment manufacturing capabilities, while France has advanced oil
and gas extraction technology and mature operating experience. Cooperation in resource exploration and development in complex environments
and joint research and development of high-end energy technology are examples of cooperation between China and France in the fields of oil
and gas resource development and new clean energy. Through multi-dimensional paths such as diversified energy investment strategies,
energy technology innovation and overseas market development, it is expected to jointly maintain the stability of global oil and gas supply.
In the long term, Sino-French cooperation should focus on emerging areas such as green oil and gas technology, energy digitalization, and
hydrogen economy, so as to consolidate the two countries’ strategic positions in the global energy system.
Mutual benefit and win-win results, working together to lay out the “new blue ocean”
During the sixth meeting of the Sino-French Entrepreneurs Committee held recently, representatives of Chinese and French entrepreneurs
discussed three topics: industrial innovation and mutual trust and win-win results, green economy and low-carbon transformation, new productivity
and sustainable development. Enterprises from both sides It also signed 15 cooperation agreements in fields such as nuclear energy, aviation,
manufacturing, and new energy.
“Sino-French cooperation in the field of new energy is an organic unity of China’s equipment manufacturing capabilities and market depth
advantages, as well as France’s advanced energy technology and green development concepts.” Sun Chuanwang said, “First of all, deepening
the connection between France’s advanced energy technology and China’s vast market complementary advantages; secondly, lower the threshold
for new energy technology exchanges and optimize market access mechanisms; thirdly, promote the acceptance and application scope of clean
energy such as nuclear power, and give full play to the substitution effect of clean energy. In the future, both parties should further explore distributed
green power. There is a vast blue ocean in offshore wind power, photovoltaic building integration, hydrogen and electricity coupling, etc.”
Fang Dongkui believes that in the next step, the focus of China-France energy cooperation will be to jointly respond to climate change and achieve
the goal of carbon neutrality, and nuclear energy cooperation is a positive consensus between China and France to deal with energy and environmental
challenges. “Both China and France are actively exploring the development and application of small modular reactors. At the same time, they have
strategic layouts in fourth-generation nuclear technologies such as high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and fast neutron reactors. In addition,
they are developing more efficient nuclear fuel cycle technology and safety, Environmentally friendly nuclear waste treatment technology is also
the general trend. Safety is a top priority. China and France can jointly develop more advanced nuclear safety technologies and collaborate to
formulate corresponding international standards and regulatory norms to promote the safety of the global nuclear energy industry. level up.”
The mutually beneficial cooperation between Chinese and French energy companies is going deeper and further. Zhao Guohua, chairman of
Schneider Electric Group, said at the sixth meeting of the Sino-French Entrepreneurs Committee that industrial transformation requires technological
assistance and more importantly, the strong synergy brought by ecological collaboration. Industrial collaboration will promote product research and
development, technological innovation, industrial chain collaboration, etc. complement each other’s strengths in various fields and jointly contribute
to global economic, environmental and social development.
An Songlan, President of Total Energy China Investment Co., Ltd., emphasized that the key word for France-China energy development has always
been partnership. “Chinese companies have accumulated a lot of experience in the field of renewable energy and have a profound foundation.
In China, we have established good cooperative relationships with Sinopec, CNOOC, PetroChina, China Three Gorges Corporation, COSCO Shipping,
etc. In the Chinese market In the global market, we have also formed complementary advantages with Chinese companies to jointly promote win-win
cooperation. Currently, Chinese companies are actively developing new energy and investing abroad to help achieve global climate goals. We will
work with Chinese partners to find ways to achieve this goal. The possibility of project development.”