[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Joan Valadou, France's consul general in Shanghai recently visited Ningbo in East China’s Zhejiang province to highlight the city's importance in Sino-French relations.

He emphasized Ningbo's status as a major economic hub and the world's third-largest port, attracting numerous French businesses and residents.

He also noted the sister-city relationship with the city of Rouen in the French administrative region of Normandy as a symbol of strong collaboration in culture, academia and economics.

Valadou said he was pleased to meet with the municipal government, cultural partners, French expatriates and leaders and students at the Ningbo University-University of Angers Joint Institute — stressing the positive outcomes of their partnership since 2017. He described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen their friendship and to explore future projects.

The consul general expressed enthusiasm for continuing dialogue between Ningbo and France, underscoring the city's pivotal role in fostering long-term bilateral cooperation.