Collaboration key say Paris Peace Forum delegates

From trade tensions to the clean-energy race. Speakers at the 2026 Paris Peace Forum are calling on countries to find practical ways to work together, even when their interests may collide. 

The ninth edition, happening in the French capital over the course of two days, is being held under the theme " From Sovereignty to Cooperation". 

For Pascal Lamy, the forum's vice-president and former head of the World Trade Organisation, the challenge is finding a better balance between competition and cooperation. 

Lamy says Europe and China have room to deepen cooperation, while working through their economic differences, highlighting climate, the environment, oceans and artificial intelligence as areas where shared priorities could support closer collaboration. 

"We both have to do our homework," Lamy told CGTN, adding that both sides could take steps to strengthen their economic relationship, with Europe improving competitiveness and China boosting domestic demand. 

Arancha González Laya, Spain's former Foreign Minister who's now the dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, is also calling for dialogue between Europe and China, despite differences in stance when it comes to trade and the conflict in Ukraine. 

She says Europe must keep its markets open, while ensuring economic interdependence doesn't leave it vulnerable. "It's open, but with security. And the question is balancing out these two ingredients." 

González Laya says people struggling with everyday costs need to actually see how countries working together can improve their lives, ranging from things like keeping energy prices stable to making the air we breathe cleaner. 

Ma Jun, the Director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, sees major opportunities when it comes to combining China's clean technology manufacturing with Europe's climate policies and environmental standards. 

He says working together could make solar panels, batteries, and other clean tech cheaper for developing countries, which would then help people power their homes, grow their businesses, and cope with climate change. 

But Ma is warning that competition over the minerals used in clean technology could potentially slow down the shift to cleaner energy. 

He says mining companies need to be more open about pollution, their water use, and the effect on local communities. 

Ma also told CGTN that he sees room for Chinese and European companies to invest together when it comes to sharing technology and creating jobs. 

The real test now is whether these conversations happening at the Peace Forum in Paris can actually translate into partnerships that'll make a difference to the lives of everyday people.