The China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, featuring a wide range of activities, will serve as a platform to exhibit the achievements in cultural exchanges between the two nations and highlight their collaborative relationship, said French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary on Jan 4.

He made the remarks at the press conference for the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism held at the Palace Museum, co-hosted by the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the French embassy in China.

2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France. The 2024 China-France Year of Culture and Tourism is an important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries on cultural exchanges.

The two sides will collaborate to organize multiple cultural events covering areas including performing arts, visual arts, cultural heritage and tourism promotion.

During the press conference, several activities are highlighted as the most representative ones, including the The Palace of Versailles and the Forbidden City Exhibition, and the "Hello China!" Tourism Promotion Event, and the China Philharmonic Orchestra's Tour in France.

These activities aim to provide a comprehensive display of diverse French culture to the Chinese public while showcasing the treasures of Chinese culture to the French public, said the ambassador.

He further expressed the hope that these activities, which promote mutual understanding and the rediscovery of each other's cultures, will inspire people from both countries to visit each other's nations and gain firsthand experience of the most beautiful tourist attractions in both China and France.