The list of ambassadors of France to China began after diplomatic relations were established in 1847. The official title of this French diplomat is "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the People's Republic of China".
History
The first contacts between China and the West were established by Marco Polo in the 13th century. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, missionaries continued the French settlement on Chinese soil. However, due to the remoteness of China, France, like most European countries, did not feel the need to establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese Empire for several centuries.
List of heads of mission The updated list is available on the website of the French Embassy in Beijing.
Begins Ends Ambassador Note 1847 1850 Baron Alexandre de Forth-Rouen 1851 1862 Alphonse de Bourboulon 1862 1866 Jules Berthemy 1866 1868 Count Charles de Lallemand 1868 1872 Count Julien de Rochechouart 1872 1875 Louis de Geofroy 1875 1879 Vicomte Brenier de Montmorand 1879 1883 Albert Bourée 1883 1883 Arthur Tricou 1884 1886 Jules Patenôtre 1886 1887 Jean Antoine Ernest Constans 1887 1893 Gabriel Lemaire 1893 1897 Auguste Gérard 1898 1901 Stephen Pichon 1901 1902 Jean-Baptiste Paul Beau 1902 1905 Georges Dubail 1906 1909 Edmond Bapst 1909 1912 Pierre de Margerie 1912 1917 Alexandre-Robert Conty 1917 1921 Auguste Boppe 1921 1924 Aimé Joseph de Fleuriau 1925 1929 Damien de Martel 1929 1933 Auguste Henry Wilden 1933 1937 Henri Hoppenot 1937 1938 Paul-Émile Naggiar 1938 1944 Henri Cosme 1944 1945 Zinovi Pechkoff Delegate of the French Committee of National Liberation. 1945 1953 Jacques Meyrier 1953 1956 Georges Cattand Chargés d'affaires ad interim, based in Formosa, seat of the government in exile. 1956 1960 Amédée Beaulieux Chargés d'affaires ad interim 1960 1963 Émile de Curton Chargés d'affaires ad interim 1963 1964 Pierre Salade Chargés d'affaires ad interim 1964 1969 Lucien Paye First French ambassador to the People's Republic of China 1969 1975 Étienne Manac'h 1975 1979 Claude Arnaud 1979 1982 Claude Chayet 1982 1986 Charles Malo 1986 1989 Michel Combal 1989 1990 Charles Malo 1990 1993 Claude Martin 1993 1996 François Plaisant 1996 2002 Pierre Morel 2002 2004 Jean-Pierre Lafon 2004 2006 Philippe Guelluy 2006 2010 Hervé Ladsous 2011 2014 Sylvie Bermann 2014 2017 Maurice Gourdault-Montagne 2017 2019 Jean-Maurice Ripert 2019 2023 Laurent Bili 2023 Bertrand Lortholary
Taiwan The current regime ruling Taiwan comes from the exile on the island of Taiwan of the Chinese leaders after the communist revolution of 1949 and the end of the nationalist republican regime. The two governments have since then disputed the sovereignty of the entire Chinese territory. Although tending towards democracy according to the criteria of the European Union, the sovereignty of the country is not officially recognized. The seat occupied by the Republic of China at the United Nations was also lost in 1971 to the benefit of the People's Republic of China, which became the sole representative of China. Only 23 countries (but none in Asia, Europe or North America) out of the 192 that make up the UN recognize the Republic of China and maintain official diplomatic relations with it. France, for its part, is present thanks to the French Office in Taipei, which, although it has a role of representation at the political, economic and consular level, does not have the title of embassy, in order not to offend the People's Republic of China.
Consulates In addition to the consular section of the embassy in Beijing, there are six consulates general of France in China, based in:
Shanghai Guangdong Wuhan Chengdu Shenyang Hong Kong
See also List of diplomatic missions in China List of diplomatic missions of France China–France relations China–European Union relations
Notes
References