# List of ambassadors of France to China

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 | 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