On June 18, 2026, the 3rd Sino-French Future Industry Cooperation Forum, themed “Charting a New Blueprint for Future Industries and Jointly Building a New Ecosystem for Industrial Future,” was held in Nanjing. The forum was co-hosted by the International Economic and Technical Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Nanjing Investment Promotion Bureau, bringing together over 150 representatives from Chinese and French government, business, and academic circles. Attendees included renowned French companies such as Fives, Schneider Electric, Dassault Systèmes, L’Oréal, and Air Liquide, as well as leading Chinese enterprises like COMAC, Tencent, and JINGDONG.

Nanjing’s economic and trade cooperation with France has a long history. Since the 1980s, a total of 114 French-funded projects have been established in Nanjing, with actual utilized foreign capital reaching US$1.16 billion, and total import and export volume with France exceeding US$1 billion. The pattern of two-way deployment and mutually reinforcing development has become increasingly mature. This profound foundation of cooperation has made Nanjing a preferred destination for French companies developing in China. Ruan Jinsong, General Manager of Unither Nanjing Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., which is deeply rooted in Nanjing, spoke with conviction: “Policy support, geographical environment, technical talent cultivation, and upstream-downstream integration are the most important reasons why we at Unither chose Nanjing.” He also expressed confidence in the future: “I am very optimistic about China-France future industry cooperation. For example, Nanjing has many excellent pharmaceutical companies and universities, as well as research in areas like AI and brain-computer interfaces, which can create synergies and complementarities with France.”

Currently, Nanjing is proactively laying out future-oriented tracks such as 6G, atomic-level manufacturing, embodied intelligence, and the low-altitude economy, opening up broad space for China-France cooperation. At the forum, enterprises from both sides shared cutting-edge achievements in fields such as intelligent manufacturing, green and low-carbon development, aerospace, and digital ecosystems, and reached consensus to join hands in joint R&D. The deans’ dialogue session focused on China-France science and education cooperation and talent cultivation, while the industry dialogue engaged in in-depth exchanges on practical matters such as supply chain support and technology implementation. Shang Biao, Director of Fives China, remarked: “The low-altitude economy and aviation industry that Nanjing is currently promoting are both industries with unlimited future potential. As Fives is a leader in aerospace manufacturing, this is immensely appealing to us.” Alessandro Papelli, Sales Director of Nanjing Lansi Information Technology Co., Ltd., described Nanjing’s industrial atmosphere as “very dynamic,” adding, “Local professionals have a strong desire for innovative development, and this is a very prominent advantage.”

The development of future industries cannot be separated from robust technological research and talent reserves. Geng Lisheng, Dean of the Sino-French Engineer School at Beihang University, pointed out: “The foundation of what we now call future industries is solid technological research. Nanjing has a strong base in traditional industries and tremendous momentum in developing future industries. This ecosystem that blends the old with the new is the most important soil for nurturing future industries.”

Moving forward, Nanjing will continue to leverage the China-France industrial cooperation mechanism, deepen practical cooperation across multiple fields, and promote industrial matchmaking from isolated points to a full-fledged ecosystem, striving to build a new model for China-France modern industrial cooperation. Charming Nanjing, a city of opportunities, looks forward to welcoming more French partners to join in and set off together on a journey to the future!