France is also a leading agricultural producer and exporter in Europe. Wheat, poultry, dairy, beef and pork, as well as an internationally recognized foodstuff and wine industry are primary French agricultural exports.
With a long history and abundant cultural and natural heritages, France is the most visited country in the world, receiving 82 million foreign tourists annually.
China and France established diplomatic relations in January 1964, which was upgraded to a comprehensive partnership in 1997 and further to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2004. Bilateral ties have been developing smoothly with frequent high-level visits and contacts in recent years.
Trade and economic relations have also maintained good momentum.According to statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce, France is China's fourth largest trading partner and its second largest importer of goods within the European Union. In 2008, bilateral trade reached 38.94 billion U.S. dollars, up 15.7 percent from the previous year.
