On November 4, a roundtable dialogue session among mayors and parliamentarians was held in Changsha, as part of the 7th China-France Cultural Forum. Government representatives from six cities in China and France engaged in open discussions on cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.

Changsha shares a long-standing friendship with France, tracing back to the early 20th century when Chinese students traveled to France for a work-study program during a critical period in China's history. Today, this relationship continues to thrive through diverse cultural exchanges. At the event, Changsha Vice Mayor Zhou Zhikai delivered a speech promoting the appeal and development of the city. He stated that Changsha is willing to be one of the most active participants, pragmatic practitioners, and sincere promoters of China-France friendship. He expressed his hope that Changsha would build connections with more French cities, thereby expanding its "circle of friends" along the Maritime Silk Road.

David Ros, senator of Essonne, Ile-de-France region and president of the France-China Friendship Group of the French Senate, remarked that during his visit to Changsha, he was deeply impressed by the city's dynamism and charm. As a senator, he believes it is his responsibility to serve as a "window" for cultural exchanges between the two countries, further promoting bilateral cooperation in energy transition, education, healthcare, and other fields.

Civilizations are enriched by exchanges and mutual learning. Participants hoped to take this forum as an opportunity to build new bridges for people-to-people exchanges between China and France, paving the way for broader cooperation and shared development achievements, and writing a new chapter in bilateral cultural exchanges and cooperation.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Kuang Zhenzhen

Chinese source: hunantoday