“For a long time, the people of China and France have maintained a high interest in each other's culture and heritage. As early as the 17th century, King Louis XIV of France amassed a collection of Chinese artworks. Soon, these collections will be showcased in a large exhibition at the Forbidden City, jointly held by the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles,” said Bertrand Lortholary, Ambassador of France to China, on the media briefing for the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism yesterday. He added that showcasing the fruitful achievements and vitality of the two countries in people-to-people and cultural exchanges is the best way to highlight the collaborative relations between France and China.

Last April, President Xi Jinping and visiting French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to boost the two countries’ people-to-people and cultural exchanges and organize the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism in 2024 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Today, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival are set to open concurrently.

The media briefing was co-hosted by the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) and the French Embassy in China. Wang Xudong, Member of the Party Leadership Group of the MCT and Director of the Palace Museum, emphasized in his speech that both China and France boast unique and time-honored civilizations and have for a considerable period of time spearheaded the development of their respective regions. Under the framework of the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, the two sides will collaborate to organize hundreds of impressive events spanning performing arts, visual arts, cultural heritage, and tourism promotion. The aim is to allow the people of both countries to appreciate the profound and colorful cultures of each other, fostering mutual understanding and friendship. Starting on April 1, the Palace Museum will cooperate with the Palace of Versailles to hold the exhibition titled “The Palace of Versailles and the Forbidden City: Exchanges Between France and China in the 17th and 18th Centuries”, vividly depicting the cultural and artistic interactions between the two countries spanning centuries.

Lortholary stated that 2024 promises to be an extraordinary year for China-France relations. During the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, France’s diverse and rich culture and China’s cultural treasures will be showcased to the two peoples. The goal is to facilitate mutual understanding and appreciation of each other's culture, and to generate interest in visiting each other's countries. To this end, the organizers have selected two iconic landmarks as symbols for the event: the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which will reopen at the end of the year after years of restoration. Today, at the International Ice and Snow Festival, ice sculptures of these two buildings are going to be unveiled.

It is learned that the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism will feature brilliant activities throughout the year. On January 25, the National Centre for the Performing Arts will stage Charles Gounod’s classic opera Romeo and Juliet as the first event of the series in Beijing. On January 31, the MCT and the Chinese Embassy in France will jointly host the opening concert of the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism at the Royal Opera of Versailles, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations. Li Xincao, President of the China Conservatory of Music, will serve as the conductor.