Officials, experts, and business leaders from China and France gathered in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Friday to promote technology and innovation collaboration between the two nations.

The 2026 China-France Young Leaders Program, which kicked off in Kunming, includes visits to Pu'er and the Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture. It was co-organized by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and the France China Foundation.

Thomas Mulhaupt, executive director of the France Asia Foundation, said that young leaders from various fields are forging bridges to strengthen the relationship between the two countries through effective communication and mutual understanding. He noted that France and China complement each other well in the fields of technology and artificial intelligence.

France has the potential to be highly attractive in the tech sector, and there is much to learn from China's leading companies, startups, and universities, Mulhaupt added.

Emmanuel Miquel, head of Buyout France, described China as a hub of innovation, just as France also excels at innovation across various industries, such as the food and automotive sectors.

Wang Xueqin, vice-governor of Yunnan, said the province hopes to advance and expand bilateral investments between Yunnan and France by focusing on emerging fields, such as the green economy, digital economy, bioeconomy, and artificial intelligence.