France attracts a record amount of foreign investment.

On June 1st, the “Choose France” 2026 investment promotion conference opened at the Palace of Versailles, attracting billions of dollars in investment capital, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers.

Consumers shop at a supermarket in Paris, France. (Photo: THX/VNA)

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Paris, ahead of the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a record figure for foreign investment in the French economy . International businesses pledged a total of 93 billion euros (108 billion USD) to invest in France, the highest level since the Choose France initiative was launched in 2018.

Speaking at the Élysée Palace a few hours before welcoming international corporate leaders to the conference, Macron emphasized that these were investments that had been definitively confirmed by businesses and were likely to be implemented in practice. The French Presidential Palace stated that the 93 billion euro figure only included projects that had been 100% committed, not including potential investments still under consideration.

This result helps this year's conference surpass all previous records. In 2025, the conference recorded a total investment commitment value of approximately 40 billion euros, while this year that figure has more than doubled. This is also President Macron's final Choose France conference in his current term, making the event particularly significant for his strategy of attracting international investment that he has pursued for many years.

According to information from the Élysée Palace, a total of 71 new investment projects were announced at this year's conference. These projects are expected to create approximately 15,600 jobs across France in the coming years, contributing to economic growth, technological innovation, and enhancing the competitiveness of the French economy in the context of increasingly fierce global competition.

The largest contribution to this investment package comes from the Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank. The group, owned by billionaire Masayoshi Son, has confirmed it will invest €45 billion in data centers to support the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in France between now and 2031. This investment is part of a larger plan, potentially worth up to €75 billion if development conditions are met. However, the French side is only including the confirmed investment in the total announced €93 billion.

Besides SoftBank, many other international corporations have also announced notable projects. The food giant Mars plans to invest €100 million; the defense technology company Tekever has committed an additional €100 million; the Italian steel giant Marcegaglia will invest approximately €600 million; while Ecolab has also announced a €100 million investment in the French market. In addition, the Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn and its French partner Thales will establish a joint venture with a total investment of approximately €250 million.

These investments are focused on strategic sectors such as AI, data centers, digital technology , defense industry, materials manufacturing, energy, and innovation. This reflects the French government's ambition to make the country one of Europe's leading technology and industrial hubs within the next decade.

The Choose France conference has been held annually since 2018 with the goal of promoting the attractiveness of the French investment environment and attracting international corporations to expand their operations in the country. Over the years, the event has become one of Europe's most important economic forums, where global business leaders meet with the French government to discuss long-term investment opportunities.

With a record commitment of 93 billion euros and the creation of over 15,000 new jobs, Choose France 2026 not only marks a new milestone in France's investment attraction strategy but also sends a strong signal about the attractiveness of the French economy to international investors during the ongoing global digital transformation and artificial intelligence development.

VNA

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phap-thu-hut-so-tien-dau-tu-nuoc-ngoai-ky-luc-post966375.html