As exchanges and cooperation between Wuhan and France continue to deepen and expand, the two sides have achieved numerous significant results across various fields. Together, they have explored new markets and fostered mutually beneficial, win-win outcomes; exchanged cultural insights and explored the allure of the arts; cultivated international talent and engaged in academic exchanges; and advanced sustainable development to address global challenges. Wuhan, with its open and inclusive attitude and growing practical achievements, embodies the “China-France spirit” and stands as a testament to the enduring bond between the two nations.
Fruitful Cooperation Leads to Win-Win Development
Economy
In 2006, then-French President Jacques Chirac visited Wuhan; in 2013, then-French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault visited; and in 2017, then-French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve visited. These visits helped advance major projects such as DPCA, the Wuhan P4 Biological Security Laboratory, and the Sino-French Wuhan Ecological Demonstration City.
Forty percent of France's investment in China is concentrated in Wuhan, with key sectors including automotive, auto parts, supermarkets, finance, and electronics. Major French companies operating in Wuhan include DPCA, Air Liquide, Schneider Electric, EDF (Electricité de France), and Carrefour. Wuhan has two companies investing in France, which are engaged in the fields of publishing and pharmaceutical manufacturing respectively.
“Yangtze Meets Seine” flash mob (Source: Changjiang Net)
Ecology and Environmental Protection
Wuhan and France have launched multiple sustainable urban development projects with remarkable results. These efforts were recognized at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21), where Wuhan received the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Third-annual C40 Cities Award. Among these projects, the Sino-French Wuhan Ecological Demonstration City stands out as the most representative and globally impactful initiative. It best reflects the strong cooperation between the two nations and embodies the shared commitment to green, environmentally sustainable urban development.
Healthcare
In 2006, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University signed a cooperation agreement with Paul Brousse Hospital in Paris, France, marking the beginning of healthcare and medical collaboration between Wuhan and France.
In 2015, the Wuhan P4 Laboratory, the first top-level biosafety lab in Asia under Sino-French cooperation, was completed in Wuhan. It officially became operational in 2017. The lab has since served as a research and development center for emerging infectious diseases, a bio-resource center for virulent viruses, and a reference laboratory for infectious diseases under the World Health Organization. It also played a crucial role in the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control in early 2020.
In early 2020, France made two donations of medical supplies to Wuhan to support its fight against the pandemic. In return, Wuhan actively encouraged local medical company Humanwell Healthcare to donate masks, alcohol, and other supplies to Bordeaux. Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University was also invited twice to participate in video exchanges on combating the pandemic with public hospitals in Bordeaux.
Culture
With the support of the Wuhan Municipal People's Government and the Consulate General of France in Wuhan, cultural exchanges between Wuhan and France have become increasingly frequent, with a wide range of activities providing rich spiritual nourishment for the citizens of Wuhan. The annual events such as the Festival Croisements, French Music Festival in Wuhan, and French-Chinese Environment Month (MFCE) bring over 40 exciting cultural and artistic activities, including films, theater performances, concerts, and photography exhibitions. These events are warmly welcomed by both Wuhan residents and visitors. In November 2018, the “Le Choix Goncourt de la Chine” was held in Wuhan, making the city the first in China to host this prestigious literary award. As part of the 2024 Yangtze River Culture and Art Season, the “Yangtze Meets Seine” flash mob staged by the Seine River in September 2024. People were surprised to find the stunning Chu culture elements in Paris: the amazing combination of guzheng and cello, Tai Chi and ballet, with a medley of classic Chinese songs played on site.
Education
Wuhan and France have a deep and long-standing history of educational exchanges, with substantial achievements in cooperation.
In 1980, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France and Wuhan University signed the first cooperation memorandum between China and France in the field of education and culture following China's reform and opening-up. In 1994, Wuhan Foreign Languages School signed an inter-school cooperation agreement with Michel-Montaigne High School (Lycée Michel-Montaigne) in Bordeaux. In 2000, the Alliance Française de Wuhan was established, and its sold class hours ranked first among all Alliance Française branches in China.
Wuhan University of Technology and South-Central Minzu University have both engaged in joint educational programs with France. Wuhan Foreign Languages School has also established a Confucius Institute in Bordeaux, France. In 2014, Wuhan's first French International School was founded, offering a French-style education system ranging from kindergarten through high school.
Urban Planning and Construction Management
In 2012, the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport Transportation Center project, funded by a 100 million euro loan from the French Development Agency (AFD), was approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). This project became the largest government-backed project funded by foreign government loans in NDRC's history.
Wuhan has also collaborated with several French urban planning and design firms on numerous landmark projects in the city, such as the Wuhan Citizens' Home and Wuhan Railway Station. Notably, the Wuhan Railway Station project received the “International Architecture Award” from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in 2012.