At the invitation of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), former French Defense Minister Mr. Alain Richard headed a delegation of the French think tank Terra Nova, comprised of six politicians of the Socialist Party of France, to China from July 23 to 28.

       In Beijing, Mr. Cheng Siwei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10^th National People’s Congress, Mme Fu Ying, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador Cheng Tao, Vice President of CPIFA, met with members of the delegation. They had round table talks with Chinese scholars including Professor Pan Jiahua, Director of the Center for Urban Development and Environment at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Mr. Han Min, Deputy Director of the National Center for Education Development Research (NCEDR), and Mr. Zong Liang, Deputy Director of the Institute of International Finance of the Bank of China.

       In Shanghai, Mr. Yin Hong, Deputy Secretary-General of Shanghai Municipal Government, met with the delegation. As part of their program to witness dynamic economic cooperation between China and France, members of the delegation visited Shanghai Chemical Industry Park and Huawei Campus in Shenzhen.