It was the 12th time China lifted the trophy since 1982, while France achieved its best-ever result in the tournament by reaching the final.
World No. 1 Shi Yuqi survived a strong challenge from Christo Popov to win 21-16, 16-21, 21-17 in an 85-minute battle.
In all three sets, Shi had to come from behind as he adjusted his tactics. "I was behind in all three games and tried to calm myself down to find the right way to play my opponent," said Shi to the BWF website. Shi missed the last two group matches due to acute gastroenteritis. "I kept telling myself to stay clear-minded, patient, and consistent under my current physical condition."
Popov, ranked 4th in the world, admitted that he failed to make the most of the opportunity to beat the World Champion when the chance was there.
"Shi was very sharp and solid at the end, and I made a few mistakes. I feel like I just missed the opportunity," said the 24-year-old. "The first match is always very important for confidence and for the team."
France then restored morale when World No. 10 Alex Lanier restored parity by defeating China's Li Shifeng 21-13, 21-10 in 43 minutes.
"I was extremely consistent today, and that made the difference, especially by limiting mistakes and sticking to the right game plan," said Lanier. "I woke up with strong motivation this morning and the desire to give everything for the team. I felt confident on court and played one of my best matches."
"I tried to be patient, but made too many mistakes. I felt sorry that I couldn't secure the second point for my team," Li said.
The tide then turned in favour of the defending champions when World No. 15 Weng Hongyang edged Toma Junior Popov 22-20, 20-22, 21-19 in a 96-minute battle to put China 2-1 ahead.
"Before the match, I knew it would be very tough. The opponents came through strong matches all the way to the final, so I just tried to prepare myself for a difficult battle," said Weng.
"This match could be one of the longest I have ever played. It was very valuable for me mentally. Whether I was leading or trailing, there were a lot of long, tight rallies. When I was leading, I made quite a few mistakes, but when I was behind, I actually felt a bit more relaxed," he added.
He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu then sealed the victory by defeating Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi 21-13, 21-16 in the doubles, securing the decisive point for China.