A Chinese culture-themed exhibition opened on Friday at the Paris Book Festival, offering French and European audiences a window into contemporary China through books, art and cultural products.
Titled Encountering China, the exhibition was held at the Grand Palais in Paris, ahead of World Book and Copyright Day on April 23 and China's National Reading Week.
The opening ceremony was attended by figures from both countries, including Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group; Sylvie Bermann, former French ambassador to China; Chen Li, minister at the Chinese Embassy in France; and Julien Papelier, CEO of Media-Participations and a representative of the festival's organizing committee. Qiu Xianqing, chairman of Tsinghua University Press, also addressed the event.
"Books serve as a bridge to present the contemporary significance of Chinese knowledge and the diversity of Chinese culture," Gao said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, adding that China's 15th Five-Year Plan places greater emphasis on international cultural exchanges.
Bermann described cultural exchange as a key pillar of France-China relations, saying the exhibition offers French readers and publishing professionals a valuable opportunity to better understand modern China and appreciate the richness of Chinese culture.
Chen said the exhibition has become an important platform for French audiences to learn about China's history, culture and development, while Papelier welcomed the Chinese delegation, calling the exhibition series a "cherished cultural event" for French audiences.
Qiu highlighted the role of books in connecting civilizations, noting that Tsinghua University Press has long promoted international academic and cultural exchange through multilingual publications.
More than 260 items are on display at the Chinese booth, including over 210 books and periodicals, as well as cultural products, illustrations and handicrafts.
Highlights include the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, knowledge series such as China Keywords and Decoding China's Discourse, and French-language editions of Chinese literary classics, including works by Lu Xun.
The Paris Book Festival, formerly known as the Paris Book Fair, is one of Europe's major annual cultural events, promoting public engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.
Running through the weekend, this year's festival is expected to attract about 450 publishers, more than 1,200 authors and 114,000 visitors from across Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron also visited the event, where exhibition areas saw a steady flow of visitors.
Meanwhile, a cultural dialogue held on Friday at the China Cultural Center in Paris brought together scholars, publishers and industry representatives from both countries.
Focusing on technological innovation and cross-cultural communication in the age of artificial intelligence, participants discussed digital publishing, AI-driven interaction, and the global communication of Chinese narratives, highlighting the growing role of emerging technologies in shaping future cultural exchanges.
