Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo (third from left) visits the exhibits at the exhibition that the CICG hosted. Photo: Courtesy of the CICG

The China International Communications Group (CICG) has joined the 2024 Foire de Paris, which commenced on Wednesday, hosting a Chinese cultural exhibition as well as other exchange activities.  

More than 100 delegates from the cultural, translation, publishing and business sectors of both China and France participated in the event. 

The exhibition that CICG hosted features Chinese culture, including symbols of Central Plains, Harmony, Yellow River, Yangtze River, Greater Bay Area, ethnic minority cultures, and the iconic Chinese dragon.

The exhibition featured about 600 varieties and 2,000 unique exhibits including themed books, bronze and porcelain artifacts, arts and crafts, and cultural creative products. 

Notable book exhibits include multilingual series books like China's classical novels series and the Yangtze River culture series. Exhibited bronze and porcelain artifacts include the Four-goat Square Zun (which dates back more than 3,000 years), Jun porcelain from Henan and Ru porcelain.

Art exhibits include Chinese character art, Henan embroidery bird-and-flower paintings, and cultural creative products like Loong Dwen Dwen (the Chinese zodiac's Dragon version of Bing Dwen Dwen, a Beijing Winter Olympic Games mascot).

During the exhibition, various activities such as traditional Chinese music performances and tea culture experiences were also organized.

In addition to the exhibition, a series of thematic events such as "Beijing theme Day," "National Museum Theme Day," and "Shandong theme Day" were organized, alongside dialogues including a "Beijing meets Paris" event and Sino-French dialogues to promote cultural exchange between China and France.

Du Zhanyuan, the president of the CICG, said at the opening ceremony that 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, as well as the China-France Year of Cultural Tourism. This exhibition, through an innovative combination of cultural exhibits, literary and artistic performances, cultural and creative sales, and entertainment experiences helps enhance the understanding of audiences from various countries about contemporary China. 

Vincent Montagne, president of the French Publishers Association and chairman of the Paris Book Fair, said that at the important moment of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, hosting a thematic exhibition on Chinese culture presents an excellent opportunity for both countries to deepen their friendship in literature, art, culture, and among their peoples. He also expressed optimism for enhanced cooperation between the publishing industries of China and France.