French President Francois Hollande's visit is the latest example of intensified leadership interaction between China and Europe. The visit occurred within two weeks of Chinese President Xi Jinping's tour to the UK and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's various meetings with the Chinese leadership. This intensive China-Europe leadership interaction may create new momentum that will take EU-China relations to another level.
China has become a keyword in European diplomatic circles recently. Many politicians hope to expand pragmatic cooperation with China. Likewise, China has consistently valued the European Union for its potential to contribute to global stability and economic growth.
Britain last month rolled out the red carpet for President Xi, the first Chinese head of state to have visited the country in a decade.
During what was dubbed as a "super state visit," Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of deals worth about 60 billion dollars. This included China taking a one-third stake in Britain's first new nuclear plant in a generation.
China's Central Bank also issued its first ever offshore Renminbi note in London during President Xi's visit.
This fortified London's role as a non-Asian yuan trading centre.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit came on the heels of President Xi's trip to the UK.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of 13 major deals, including an order for 130 aircraft from Airbus - one of China's largest ever.
The two countries also agreed to establish a Sino-EU free trade zone, and to upgrade the economic ties between the two manufacturing giants to a strategic level.
Recent years have seen important exchanges of visits between China and France.
Paris will host a crucial climate change meeting at the end of the month.
China was widely praised for its multiple climate pledges.
These include plans to contain emissions through a national carbon cap-and-trade system that will be launched in 2017, and the establishment of a 3.1-billion-U.S.-dollar fund aimed at help other developing countries combat and adapt to climate change.
Analysts said the exchange of visits by the French and Chinese presidents show they are united by the same sense of global responsibilities