"As China and France approach the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year, French President Emmanuel Macron visited China on April 5th. During his visit, both countries reached an agreement to strengthen their agricultural partnership," Li says, explaining the rationale behind hosting the Shenzhen event.

"They also decided to jointly address global food crises through China's international food security cooperation initiative and agricultural resilience actions, ensuring the smooth operation of the international food supply chain, and promoting Sino-French economic and trade cooperation," Li adds.

For food and beverage companies looking to expand their business scope and increase exports, China is a vast market, which is more accessible now than ever before, says SIAL's CEO Nicolas Trentesaux. In China, several segments of the food and beverage industry are thriving, with demand on the rise, he adds.

yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn