France, a country synonymous with romanticism and culture, will be playing a leading role at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. But perhaps contrary to expectations, it will also be the occasion to highlight a lesser-known side of France, rich in technology, business and innovation. This is the France which has been attracting increasing numbers of Chinese businesses recently: with 18 investment projects announced in 2009, due to create 1,139 jobs in the long-run, France was the fourth leading European recipient of Chinese investment…
The World Expo itself is unmissable: with 10 million visitors expected between May 1 and October 31, the France Pavilion is due to be the second most popular foreign attraction for Chinese Expo visitors. Boasting impeccable ‘green’ credentials, thanks to the expertise of cement manufacturer Lafarge, the pavilion will showcase the best that French businesses have to offer to promote sustainable development. PSA Peugeot Citroën, one of the pavilion’s partners (along with LVMH, Sanofi, Michelin, L’Oréal, etc.), will demonstrate its vision of environmentally friendly transport solutions, with a presentation of two of its concept cars.
Other technological advances will also be introduced, such as the full-scale 3D digital model of the France Pavilion developed by Dassault Systèmes. Available via the Expo website, web users will be able to take a 360-degree tour inside and around the building, an innovation also being used by some ten other countries to market their own pavilions.
Besides its flagship industrial giants, France can also count on some of its star ambassadors, with regional development agencies from three prominent regions, Ile-de-France, Rhône-Alpes and Alsace each hosting their own pavilion.
Ile-de-France has already been chosen by Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo, three Chinese IT giants, as the location for their European headquarters, and was the most popular French region among Chinese investors in 2009 (50% of all investment). The Ile-de-France pavilion will showcase the close relationship that has been fostered with China through a spectacular exhibit built from innovative and recyclable materials. The region will also be presenting its finest assets: the Saclay plateau, France’s leading science and technology hub, and Mov’eo, a major innovation cluster in R&D for the automotive and public transport sectors.
Close behind Ile-de-France, the Rhône-Alpes region is the second most preferred region for Chinese businesses. Nine companies, such as ChemChina, have already set up in the region. The Rhône-Alpes Pavilion will be showcasing the expertise and innovation of its companies in the fields of urban lighting and eco-construction. This sustainable philosophy is even reflected in the walls of the pavilion, built with thermostone and incorporating a self-regulating energy system installed by Schneider Electric. The level of innovation is such that the organizers have decided to preserve the Rhône-Alpes pavilion after the Expo is over.
Alsace, the third region exhibiting at Shanghai, will be showcasing its talents in transport, renewable energies and ‘green’ business, along with the breakthroughs made by the Biovalley innovation cluster, which specializes in biotechnologies. Further proof of this ‘green savoir-faire’ is the south-facing wall of the pavilion, fitted with solar sensors that analyze temperature and sunshine in real-time and release water down the walls to cool the interior down. It’s a showcase par excellence that will further enhance the attraction of what was once again the sixth-leading region in France for foreign investment in 2009, with 25 foreign investment projects.
All these achievements are helping to make France synonymous with technology and innovation, boosted by the work being carried out by mascot Léon the kitten and French movie legend Alain Delon, the official ambassadors of the France pavilion!
