CRI听力:Book on French Entrepreneurs in China Launched in Hong Kong

The book, published last year as China and France celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, is a record of successful experiences of French entrepreneurs who have settled in Hong Kong and in the Mainland.

France's ambassador to China, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, travelled to Hong Kong from Beijing for the book launch. He says "Entrepreneur" is a French word, and the book demonstrates how much French people can achieve in China.

"The French are pioneers. Many times, they are bold, adventurous, they are very much involved in invention, they can be engineers. The 50 exemplary business people who founded their own business in the country, they have told us how they have overcome the challenges they face in China. These are stories which give us hope for the future. We have a bright future between China and France. "

Patrick Marie Herbet, coordinator of the project, has lived in Hong Kong and Beijing for many years. He says Hong Kong is second to no city in the world for starting a business.

"I am really happy that in this book, the entrepreneurs from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, central of China, and also Hong Kong, it's a united action for people who share the same dream. I hope this book not only an inspiration for the French people but to Hong Kong people because we share the same value to start business. Hong Kong people are great entrepreneurs, and personally I am a very great support of Hong Kong because there's no place in the world better than Hong Kong to start a company. "

Mathias Helleu, Executive Chairman of 8 Securities in Hong Kong, gives his advice to young entrepreneurs.

"The first one is that you have to be very crazy, because I think the starts are against you. Eight businesses out of ten collapse. Unless you have the vision and are crazy, they won't go well. And the second one is that you have to be possessed. If you are not possessed and are not completely in your story, if you let yourself distracted, it's not a good idea. The third one is the worst because you have no control that you have to be lucky. "

There are 800 French companies employing 30-thousand staff in Hong Kong, generating more than 80 billion HK dollars, or about 65 billion RMB a year. Many French companies also have their offices or factories in the Chinese mainland.

There are an estimated 16-hundred French nationals in Hong Kong and the number has risen by about 10 per cent a year.

For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.