The 3rd Sino-French Business Forum is scheduled to be held in Guangzhou on June 24. The forum is expected to attract some 120 Chinese and French business representatives, government officials and diplomats and to help enhance investment and economic cooperation between companies from France and Guangdong.

With its gross domestic product (GDP) hitting 6.78 trillion yuan ($1.09 trillion) and its foreign trade value reaching $1.08 trillion last year, Guangdong is the country's largest economic powerhouse and is making great efforts to upgrade its manufacturing industry through innovation-driven strategy.

Many companies in Guangdong are eager to cooperate with those foreign counterparts that have advanced technology and competitive products to help their transformation. At the same time, French firms can benefit from cooperation with Guangdong enterprises since the local firms are familiar with the local markets and competitive in production cost.

The forum is considered a good business exchange platform for companies from both sides.

The forum is jointly sponsored by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China and the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Consulate General of France in Guangzhou, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong and Business France.

The author is chief of China Daily Guangdong Bureau.