On March 11, 2021, Chen Qing, Secretary of the CPC Fangshan District Committee and the District Mayor Guo Yanhong met online with Alain Suguenot, Mayor of Beaune, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.

This virtual meeting represented the first official contact between the two sides. Chen Qing gave a brief introduction of Fangshan District, invited Beaune to participate in the construction of a wine town in Fangshan, and expressed hope for exchanges and cooperation with Beaune in the wine industry. The Beaune side responded positively. The two sides agreed to establish a mechanism for regular contact for further discussions on cooperation.    

Beaune is a world-class wine producing region and the second largest city in Bourgogne Côte d'Or. The annual Beaune Wine Auction is a grand event of the global wine industry.