He made the comments during a visit to France amid trade tensions between the European Union and China.

"(We) look forward to France providing a more fair, just and predictable business environment," He said at the start of the meeting with Lombard.

The vice premier added that Beijing "welcomes French enterprises to increase their investments in China" and encourages Chinese companies to "invest and do business in France".

The EU has imposed hefty tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars after a probe found Chinese state subsidies were undercutting European automakers.

China has imposed anti-dumping measures on EU brandy, hitting France's cognac industry.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that he was "reasonably optimistic" about negotiations on cognac.