Marseille woos China trade and tourism

The French city of Marseille is looking for more investment and tourists from China as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of its twinning with Shanghai this week.

A delegation of about 40 companies and 60 people have arrived in Shanghai to promote Provence know-how, particularly in the field of culture, food, fashion, telecommunication, transportation and attractive scenery.

"Giant Chinese companies such as Weichai Power and COSCO invested in our city way back and we are expecting more Chinese companies to come. Furthermore, we also want to attract more tourists from China," said Didier Parakian, deputy mayor and a delegate of Marseille Export Business Development.

Monica Michel-Bonvalet head of the shipping department of the Marseille Fos Port Authority, said that imports and exports between China and Marseille have been increasing. In 2012, exports from the port to China grew by 45 percent from last year, while imports from China to Marseille increased by 8 percent.

The delegation is to promote perfume, wine, food, fashion, art, as well as the port, extensive real-estate projects and the Marseille-Provence programme — European Capital of Culture 2013.