Major exchange events highlight artistic, international collaboration

As strategic partners representing Eastern and Western civilizations, China and France are elevating their long-standing cultural dialogue beyond art, framing it as a cornerstone for sustainable bilateral relations and global cultural diversity.

The seventh China-France Cultural Forum, recently concluded, and the 19th Festival Croisements have jointly formed dual engines for Sino-French cultural exchange, propelling mutual learning between the two civilizations into a new phase.

Held in early November in Changsha, Hunan province, the China-France Cultural Forum organized 15 distinctive cultural exchange events under the theme "Pluralistic Coexistence and Harmonious Progress". During the forum, six parallel sessions focusing on topics such as cultural tourism and urban development, artificial intelligence and cultural innovation, and dialogue between young Chinese and French artists, brought together experts, scholars, and industry leaders from both countries for in-depth discussions.

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Additionally, a mayors' roundtable and an artists' exchange concert were held, demonstrating the breadth and depth of cultural exchanges between the two countries.

"The power of culture transcends the confluence of art and history, serving as a spiritual bond that connects people and shapes our shared future. Through this forum, we have deepened mutual understanding and fostered sincere friendships, with the principle of 'Pluralistic Coexistence and Harmonious Progress' gaining consensus among all participants," said Li Min, secretary-general of the Western Returned Scholars Association.

"As civilizations with global influence, China and France have the responsibility to lead by example, contributing wisdom and strength to the prosperity of world civilizations and the advancement of global peace and development," Li said.

Emmanuelle Peres, director-general of the Prospective and Innovation Foundation, noted that guests from France and China engaged in warm, friendly and highly productive discussions during the forum. These exchanges enhanced mutual understanding, led to new cooperative agreements and delivered tangible outcomes.

"Both sides will continue to uphold the values of 'understanding, respect and trust', deepen cultural exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, and remain committed to 'always moving forward together' to achieve new results in Franco-Chinese cooperation across broader areas," Peres said.

The forum, jointly initiated in 2016 by the Western Returned Scholars Association and the Prospective and Innovation Foundation, has seen its earlier editions hosted in Beijing, Lyon, Xi'an, Nice, Suzhou and Deauville, becoming a pivotal platform for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

As the host city of the seventh edition, Changsha has demonstrated the vitality of local cities in international cultural exchanges.

In recent years, Changsha has been committed to establishing itself as a world-class tourist destination, having not only hosted the China-France Cultural Forum but also participated in events such as the Franco-Chinese Month of the Environment. Data show that from January to August, Changsha received nearly 300,000 inbound visitors, with port entry figures ranking among the highest in Central China. A visit by a top global internet celebrity further boosted the city's international visibility.

The sister-city relationship between Changsha county and Montargis in France stands as a model for sub-national exchanges between the two countries. During this year's Spring Festival, students from both cities participated in an exchange program, with French students staying with Chinese host families to experience local culture. Such grassroots interactions have laid a solid foundation for mutual understanding between the youth of both nations.

In addition to cultural exchanges, the 19th Festival Croisements, launched in Shenzhen in April, presented a vast French arts feast that extended through the summer, broadening the scope of bilateral cultural exchange. With an unprecedented scale, it featured 325 events from 62 programs across 31 Chinese cities from April to July, solidifying its profile as the largest foreign arts festival in China.

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This year's festival demonstrated remarkable innovation and foresight. In alignment with the third UN Ocean Conference held in Nice, France, in June, the festival specifically chose a stage adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea as its opening performance.

This production stood as a model of Sino-French collaboration. It was created and directed on-site in China by Christian Hecq, director and actor from leading French theater company Comedie-Francaise, with narration voiced by renowned Chinese actress Jiang Shan. Co-produced by institutions such as the Central Academy of Drama and the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the play featured an entirely Chinese creative team and cast, offering a fresh reinterpretation. Skillfully blending immersive experiences with puppetry, the work employed poetic artistic language to provoke deep reflection on marine conservation. After its successful premiere at the Shenzhen MixC World on April 11, the production was set to tour cities such as Chengdu.

"This year's Festival Croisements is not only an artistic feast but also focuses on global issues. The opening performance 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' echoes the theme of marine conservation, reflecting art's engagement with real-world concerns," said Bertrand Lortholary, French ambassador to China.