The 7th China-France Cultural Forum was held in Changsha, Hunan Province from Sunday to Tuesday, with the theme "Pluralistic coexistence and harmonious progress—forging a new pattern for China-France cultural exchanges."

Ding Zhongli, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and president of the Western Returned Scholars Association, addressed the opening ceremony on Monday.

Ding Zhongli, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, addresses the opening ceremony of the 7th China-France Cultural Forum in Changsha, Hunan Province, Nov. 3, 2025. (Photo/provided by the organizer)

 
He emphasized that pluralistic coexistence forms the foundation for the continuity of civilizations and serves as a source of creativity and innovation. "The vitality of civilization lies in harmony through diversity," he said.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France and president of the Prospective and Innovation Foundation (Foundation Prospective et Innovation), stated that the diversity of civilizations is the starting point for exchanges and the key to innovation. Although France and China represent distinct civilizations, they share many key values in areas such as peace, development, and humanistic values.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France, addresses the opening ceremony of the 7th China-France Cultural Forum in Changsha, Hunan Provoince, Nov. 3, 2025. (Photo/provided by the organizer)

 
Based on these shared values, Raffarin emphasized the importance of enhancing mutual understanding and cultural exchange between each other, he said. He hopes that more French people, especially the youth, would visit China to see what the country is realy like and to deepen exchanges and cooperation with their Chinese counterparts in culture, education, and technology, jointly contributing wisdom and strength to safeguarding world peace and promoting human development.

Approximately 200 participants, including representatives from the cultural, artistic, educational, and business sectors of China and France, attended the opening ceremony.

Launched in 2016, the China-France Cultural Forum is an important platform for people-to-people diplomacy jointly initiated by the Western Returned Scholars Association and the Fondation Prospective et Innovation. Previous sessions have been held in Beijing (China), Lyon (France), Xi'an (China), Nice (France), Suzhou (China), and Deauville (France), covering a wide range of areas for people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

Source: Ecns