Professor Yates Invited to Comment on French PM Visit to Beijing on Chinese TV

On February 23, Professor Douglas Yates was invited by the Chinese TV network CGTN (formerly CCTV News) to speak about the implications of the official state visit of French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to Beijing to discuss economic cooperation with China. Yates insisted that despite Cazeneuve being a 'late night appointment' of President François Hollande, his official visit was intended to send a clear message that the current government of France was not protectionist, and wanted to deepen its economic cooperation with Beijing.

Asked about the danger of Marine Le Pen winning the upcoming French presidential elections, Yates observed the growing climate of fear that has captured a large segment of the French electorate, pushing them towards the extreme right. Yates, however, noted that increased foreign direct investment by France in high tech industries, including recent development in nuclear and biotechnology, indicates growing trust between Chinese and French partners, all of which could be upset by a Le Pen victory.

Finally, when asked about China's competition with France in Africa, Yates noted that the same fears which are pushing French voters to support Le Pen have led some French to feel that China is invading 'their' Africa, using the phrase 'Chinafrique' to express these concerns, but that concrete planners see only advantages of Chinese capital coming into the underfinanced francophone African economies.

See full interview on CGTN