Marseille: bientôt un comptoir chinois?

2018 opened a new era as the Belt and Road Initiative unfolded to conquer the ports of the Mediterranean Sea. Early that year, Marseilles was set to become the second largest Sino-European textile trading center in Europe, with the opening of the Marseille International Fashion Center 68 or MIF68, initiated by a Chinese wholesaler. In fall 2018, the Chinese company Quechen Silicon Chemical confirmed in an agreement with the port of Marseilles-Fos, the construction of its European flagship factory. As Chinese economic interests take roots in Marseilles, one can see how globalization, whether coming from above or below, actually affect the actions of the states that are engaged in economic diplomacy.