From June 20 to 24, 2025, at the invitation of the Regional Council of Brittany and the French Association for the Development of International Relations and Cooperation of Culture and Economy, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) led a delegation on an official visit to France.

During the visit, President Yang held a series of meetings with high-level officials and representatives from French government agencies, regional councils, municipal authorities, and civil society organizations. These included: Bruno Fuchs, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly; Laurence Scholaert, Director of the Department of Decentralized and Civil Society Cooperation, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Frédéric Poizat, Vice President of France Urbaine and Deputy Mayor of Angers; Loïg Chesnais-Girard, President of the Regional Council of Brittany; Laurence Kerlorc'h, Vice President of the Regional Council of Brittany; Xavier Bertrand, President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France; Nicolas Rossignol, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prefecture of Normandy; Fatouma Papillon, Deputy Mayor of Rennes; Bertrand Bérégovoy and Sébastien Saul, Deputy Mayors of Rouen; figures from France's educational and cultural exchange communities, including: Blandine Billant, Inspector-General of Chinese Language Instruction, Rennes School District; Blaise Thierrée, French Co-Director of the Confucius Institute in Brittany; Madeleine Renaudin, President of the Rennes Chapter of the French Federation of Franco-Chinese Friendship Associations; Alain Juffraire, Director of the French Association for the Promotion of International Economic and Cultural Cooperation; Vincent Lemarchand, Chair of the Rouen-Ningbo Committee. As part of the visit, President Yang attended several key events aimed at enhancing subnational and people-to-people exchanges between China and France. These included: The 40th Anniversary Celebration of Shandong-Brittany Friendly Relations; the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the China-France Friendship Garden in Rouen; and the Chinese Language Learning Showcase at Zola High School in Rennes.

(President Yang met with Bruno Fuchs, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, and Laurence Scholaert, Director of the Department of Decentralized and Civil Society Cooperation, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.)

(President Yang met with Xavier Bertrand, President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France, and Loïg Chesnais-Girard, President of the Regional Council of Brittany.)

During his meetings in France, President Yang noted that, in recent years, China-France relations have maintained a steady and positive momentum. President Xi Jinping and President Emmanuel Macron have conducted reciprocal visits, and in 2024, the two countries jointly celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Most recently, the two heads of state held a phone conversation and reached important consensus on strengthening strategic coordination. China and France, as independent, autonomous, mature, and responsible major countries, have reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, upholding the authority of the United Nations, safeguarding international trade rules and the global economic order, and practicing the true multilateralism. Amid an increasingly complex and volatile international landscape, China and France are jointly committed to being a reliable force for international order, an open force for global economic growth, and a progressive force for advancing multilateral cooperation. Subnational cooperation is a vital pillar of China-France relations, embodying the dynamism and resilience of the comprehensive strategic partnership. The year 2025 marks the beginning of a new 60-year cycle in China-France relations. Guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, the CPAFFC is committed to work closely with French subnational governments to deepen subnational cooperation based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation by resuming the China-France High-Level Forum on Subnational Government Cooperation, and further strengthening traditional areas of cooperation such as economy and trade, agriculture, and nuclear energy, while tapping into the potential of emerging sectors, including artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and green transition. Moreover, cultural exchanges and mutual understanding and friendship should be deepened among youth, so as to contribute to a deeper and more substantive China-France relationship.

(President Yang attended the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Shandong-Brittany Friendly Relations and the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the China-France Friendship Garden in Rouen.)

French parliamentary and government officials spoke positively of the progress in France-China relations, stating that amid rising global uncertainty, instability, and ongoing regional conflicts, the importance of France-China cooperation has become more pronounced. The French side is ready to work with China to fulfill the responsibilities of major countries and jointly uphold global peace and stability. Regional leaders from Brittany and Hauts-de-France reaffirmed that French subnational governments are firmly opposed to trade wars and tariff barriers. In view of disruptions to global supply chains and shifting trade dynamics, the subnational governments of France attach great importance to the cooperation with China, stay confident in the future of collaboration with Chinese enterprises, and will proactively promote the two sides to exchange and cooperate in areas such as agriculture and food products, automobile manufacturing, and new energy. Representatives from France's education, culture, and people-to-people communities stressed that, culture is a vital bridge connecting the hearts of the two peoples.

The mutual construction of China-France friendship gardens is both a symbol of growing subnational ties and a window for deepening cultural mutual understanding. It is hoped that more measures be issued to facilicate people-to-people exchanges and deeper cooperation in culture, education, and youth programs, thus solidifying the foundation of public support for the bilateral relationship.

During the visit, President Yang and his delegation held a working meeting with Chinese Ambassador to France Deng Li.