Sino-French seminar: Local market savvy and joint R&D crucial

Against the backdrop of globalization, innovative companies must combine global competence in R&D with an understanding of local markets, said officials and entrepreneurs from France and China at the 19th French-Chinese Economic Seminar held last week.

Companies with deep experience in the Chinese market are at the forefront of the Sino-French relationship as it develops in a more comprehensive and strategic way, said former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in a keynote speech to the seminar.

Jean-Marc de Royere, senior vice-president at Air Liquide Group, said his company innovates by first studying market demands and then doing many experiments to make inventions.