On the occasion of Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to France, on April 30, local time, the China-France High-level People-to-People Exchange Forum, jointly sponsored by the China Public Diplomacy Association, China Media Group, and the Chinese Embassy in France, was held in Paris. Shen Haixiong, Deputy Director of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee and Director of China Central Radio and Television, delivered a video speech, and Bruno Fox, member of the French National Assembly, Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to France, Brunot, President of the Franco-Chinese Friendship Association in Paris, and Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, attended the event and delivered speeches. Government officials, heads of friendship associations, representatives of research institutions, and media professionals from China and France held dialogues on hot topics such as promoting the development of bilateral relations, enhancing people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promoting media cooperation.
△ Shen Haixiong, Deputy Minister of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee and Director of China Central Radio and Television
Shen Haixiong said that China and France have splendid civilizations, like two bright pearls, which reflect each other in the long river of human history. In January 2024, President Xi Jinping and President Macron exchanged congratulatory messages on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, charting a bright future for China-France relations. Under the guidance of the two heads of state, the two countries have continuously deepened people-to-people and cultural exchanges, setting an example for mutual learning among world civilizations and playing an important role in safeguarding world peace, stability and development. China Central Radio and Television vividly tells the story of Sino-French friendship, continues to promote people-to-people ties between China and France, and actively promotes mutual learning between Chinese and French civilizations. Focusing on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the main station has launched a number of masterpieces and large-scale activities, sent a team of more than 2,000 people to broadcast and report the Paris Olympics to the world with first-class technology, and will also carry out the Sino-French Panda Image Cooperation Program, jointly launch a number of film and television co-production projects with a number of French media and institutions, and hold a series of media activities "From Beijing to Paris". Standing at a new historical starting point, the main station is willing to work with friends from all walks of life in France to climb high and look far ahead and write a better future.
△ Bruno Fox, member of the French National Assembly
Bruno Fox said that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China is an important historical moment. From the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1964, to the establishment of a comprehensive partnership in 1997, and then to the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2004, France-China relations have always been at the forefront of cooperation between China and Western powers. Against the backdrop of accelerating changes in the world in a century, France and China should continue to strengthen cooperation on the existing basis and achieve more consensus in the fields of safeguarding world peace, addressing climate change, sustainable environmental development, green and clean energy, and artificial intelligence.
△ Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye
In his speech, Lu Shaye said that over the past 60 years, China-France relations have always been at the forefront of China's relations with Western countries, bringing benefits to the people of the two countries and contributing to world peace, stability and development. Standing on a new historical threshold in the past 60 years, China and France should uphold their original aspirations, share responsibilities, enhance mutual trust, and create a better future, advocate the practice of true multilateralism, consolidate and expand mutually beneficial practical cooperation, and carry out an open dialogue among civilizations. It is hoped that the people of the two countries will take the Sino-French Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris Olympic Games as an opportunity to have more exchanges and move around, so as to set off a new upsurge of people-to-people exchanges between China and France.
△ President of the Franco-Chinese Friendship Association in Paris, Brunot
Bruno said that the Paris Franco-Chinese Friendship Association is committed to promoting official and non-governmental exchanges between France and China, strengthening political, cultural, economic and trade relations, and enhancing mutual understanding, especially to let the French people better understand the real situation in China. The association will hold a number of activities in France and China, and send experts to participate in the sorting of Chinese cultural heritage, etc., to comprehensively promote French Chinese exchanges and the development of tourism.
△ Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association
Wu Hailong said that people-to-people exchanges are an important part of promoting the development of Sino-French relations. The foundation of Sino-French relations lies in the people. China and France should seize the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Sino-French Year of Culture and Tourism and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and comprehensively launch Sino-French exchange activities in various fields, sectors and levels, especially youth exchanges, so as to shorten the distance between the two peoples, enhance the feelings between the two peoples, and further deepen the friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples.
△ Rudolf Delors, director of the Beauval Zoo in France
Rudolf Delors, director of the Beauval Zoo in France, said that pandas are the bond and witness of the friendship between France and China. In 1973, when the then French President Pompidou visited China and exchanged gifts, China gave France a pair of giant pandas, "Li Li" and "Yanyan". In 2017, the giant panda "Dream Come True" was born at the Beauval Zoo, the first giant panda baby born in France. It is hoped that France and China can continue to cooperate and jointly promote biodiversity conservation.
At the opening ceremony of the forum, the Panda Channel of CCTV and the Beauval Zoo of France jointly launched the "Harmony China" Sino-French Giant Panda Cloud Connection Activity and the Sino-French Panda Image Cooperation Program, and opened a special area for giant pandas in France on the Panda Channel.
At the event site, the global solicitation of panda creative works of China Central Radio and Television "Smile Messenger" was launched simultaneously, sharing panda-related stories with global audiences through the collection of pictures, articles, short videos, etc. about pandas, so as to better promote exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations and promote people-to-people bonds.
△ The first work of the "Smile Messenger" Panda Creative Works Global Solicitation Activity - a group photo of the newborn baby panda "Dream" and the panda mother in 2017
The China-France High-Level People-to-People Exchange Forum will hold four sub-forums at the same time, including the Political Economy Sub-forum, the People-to-People Exchange Sub-forum, the Youth Exchange Sub-forum and the Sino-French Media Dialogue.