On 17 June 2010, the Centre for Political and Foreign Affairs (CPFA) in Paris hosted Long Yongtu, China’s chief negotiator for accession to the World Trade Organization, alongside Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France. The day featured both a breakfast and a lunch, each moderated by Ulysse Gosset, creating a forum for exchanges on global trade, China’s rise, and Europe’s response to shifting economic balances.

At breakfast, with journalists and experts, Long reflected on the challenges and opportunities China encountered during its path to WTO membership, emphasising how integration into global markets reshaped the country’s economy. Raffarin offered the French and European perspective, underlining both the benefits and the anxieties generated by China’s rapid ascent as a global economic power.

The lunch session, attended by politicians, diplomats, and policymakers, deepened the conversation by examining how these dynamics influence international relations. Discussions touched on issues of reciprocity in trade, the need for strategic dialogue between Europe and China, and the broader implications of global interdependence. The event highlighted CPFA’s role in convening influential policymakers and negotiators to foster dialogue on the world’s most consequential economic transformations.