On January 27, China and France will celebrate six decades of diplomatic relations. France was the first major Western country to officially establish diplomatic relations with China, and also the first major Western country to establish a comprehensive partnership and conduct strategic dialogue with China.

Both sides should pass the baton of history, stick to the original intention in establishing the diplomatic relations, carry forward the traditional friendship and push the China-France relationship to a new level, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, in November 2023.

Macron said that the French side is willing to take the 60th anniversary as an opportunity to intensify high-level exchanges with China, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in such fields as economy, trade and aviation, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

The two countries have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, stronger business cooperation, expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges and close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues.

The two heads of state have stayed in close communication through in-person meetings, telephone conversations and exchanges of correspondence, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The upcoming 60th anniversary, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, and the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024 are expected to further bolster the China-France friendship.

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Data editor: Zhao Hong

Graphics designer: Yu Peng