New envoy to France, Monaco arrives

Former Chinese vice-foreign minister Deng Li arrived in Paris on Monday as China's new ambassador to France and Monaco, after his predecessor, Lu Shaye, concluded his term last month.

Deng, 59, had previously served as minister of the Chinese embassy in France, the Chinese ambassador to Turkiye and assistant foreign minister before being appointed vice-foreign minister in October 2021.

Deng and his wife Zhang Hua were welcomed upon their arrival at the airport by an official from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, as well as key officials of the Chinese embassy in France, according to a news release from the embassy's website.

High anticipation

Anticipation runs high for the new ambassador to sustain the positive momentum of the China-France relationship, which features frequent high-level interactions, steady progress in exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and sound multilateral communication and coordination.

France is China's third-largest trading partner in the European Union, with a total bilateral trade volume of $78.9 billion in 2023, while China is France's largest trading partner in Asia.

In May, President Xi Jinping paid his third state visit to France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron as the two countries marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.