This paper gives an overview of the academic achievements by Chinese linguists who obtained licentiate or doctoral degrees in phonetics at the University of Paris between the 1920s and 1940s, highlighting the role played by these works in marking the transition from traditional to modern approaches to Chinese tonal studies. Sections 1 and 2 provide the political and academic background under which Chinese scholars conducted linguistic research in Europe and contributed to the scientific exchange between the East and the West. Section 3 summarizes the major contributions of these scholars. Section 4 further spotlights a foundational study on Chinese tones by one of these scholars, Fu Liu, for his doctoral thesis. When talking about pioneering works in modern Chinese phonetics, many of us will think of the highly renowned Chinese-American scholar, Yuen Ren Chao, while Chinese scholars who have stayed in Europe during the interwar period remain relatively less well known. Our paper thus aims at enhancing the importance of their works for a wider recognition from Chinese and international academics.