Up to 60 firefighters rushed to the building in Rue Washington, according to local reports. Parisians were urged to avoid the area while emergency services fought the flames. Snaps taken at the scene show huge flames rising into the sky.
The building is situated in a narrow street off the Champs-Elysees in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
There have been no reports of injuries.
Early reports mistakenly suggested the fire was at the current embassy.
One witness tweeted: “Urgent: A roofing fire is underway at the Chinese embassy in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
“The pompiers (firefighters) are on the scene and ask to avoid the area.”
Footage taken at the scene shows police standing at a cordon at the intersection between Rue Washington and the Champs-Elysees.
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“We sincerely hope that the fire will not cause casualties.”
The flames engulfed about 600 square metres of the roof of the building, reports suggested.
The fire comes as millions of Parisians begin to return to normal life after months on lockdown.
This week saw the reopening of cafes, bars and restaurants.
Terraces appeared full on Monday as people flocked to socialise while maintaining a social distance.
France is one of Europe’s worst hit countries in the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 29,209 deaths from COVID-19 have been confirmed.
And official data has put the number of infected at 154,188.