In a landmark gathering in Paris, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot co-chaired the seventh China–France high-level dialogue on people-to-people exchanges, pledging to deepen bilateral ties in culture, education and innovation.
The 2024 China–France Year of Culture and Tourism was hailed as a success, with hundreds of events held, over 6,000 French students studying in China, and joint thematic initiatives on carbon neutrality and heritage conservation, demonstrating the dynamism of this partnership.
With Sino-French diplomatic relations entering a new 60-year cycle, both sides stressed the values that underpin their ties: independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision and shared benefit. They proposed four key measures to drive the next decade of exchanges:
- Boosting youth mobility through student and youth leader programs
- Expanding local-level cooperation between cities and regions
- Smoothing travel and cultural access for artists, researchers and tourists
- Innovating joint educational and cultural projects in science and the arts
Echoing Wang, Barrot described these exchanges as a “valuable asset” that not only solidifies bilateral relations but also empowers both countries to address global challenges together. He reaffirmed France’s commitment to an open, forward-looking partnership in education, culture and research.
The dialogue concluded with a joint statement outlining a roadmap for sustainable, high-quality collaboration—setting a benchmark for civilizational exchanges and building bridges toward a community with a shared future for humanity.
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Wang Yi calls on China, France to deepen people-to-people exchanges
cgtn.com
