The economic ties between France and Wuhan can be traced back more than 150 years, to the time when Zhang Zhidong initiated the “Self-Strengthening Movement” in Wuhan. During that period, France engaged in a series of economic activities and exchanges with the city. Over the years, following the principles of “friendship, mutual benefit, and practical results,” Wuhan has actively expanded pragmatic cooperation with France across all sectors.
Friendship Grows over the Years
Wuhan in the history of China-France relations:
1
It was one of the first Chinese cities to establish a French consulate-general.
2
It was the first city in China to collaborate with France on academic research.
3
It was the first city to introduce French manufacturing.
4
It is home to the largest China-France cooperative project, the Sino-French Wuhan Ecological Demonstration City, which is currently under construction in the Caidian District of Wuhan, driven by the two heads of state.
1862
France established a consulate in Hankou.
The Sino-French Mathematics Class was established at Wuhan University.
1980
Late 19th Century
The Hubei Dialect Business School hired French instructors to teach French, making Wuhan the first city in China to offer advanced French language courses.
Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co. Ltd. (DPCA) was established jointly by PSA Peugeot Citroen and Dongfeng Motor Group in Wuhan.
1992
1957
Former French Prime Minister Edgar Faure visited the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge before it opened to traffic. Later, in his book Le Serpent et la Tortue, he borrowed the names of Tortoise Hill and Snake Hill, which were mentioned in Chairman Mao’s poem Prelude to Water Melody: Swimming, using them as a metaphor for the need for a bridge between China and France for “turning a deep chasm into a thoroughfare.”
On January 9, 2024, the new location of the French Visa Application Center (Wuhan) was officially opened. (Source: WICC)
The Consulate-General of France in Wuhan was established.
1998
1964
China and France officially established diplomatic relations. Then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and then French President Charles de Gaulle agreed to designate Wuhan as a base city for China-France cooperation and exchanges.
The governments of China and France signed the Letter of Intent on Building the Sino-French Wuhan Ecological Demonstration City, with the ecological city located in the Caidian District of Wuhan.
2014
