BEIJING, China, Dec 6 — French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the need to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges as well as mutual understanding, to foster cooperation and jointly address global challenges, during his visit to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.
Macron made the remarks while delivering a speech on Friday at Sichuan University in Chengdu and taking questions from students.
“In an interconnected world, we may feel we understand each other, yet this is often a superficial engagement,” Macron said. “To truly comprehend one another, we must learn each other’s languages, understand each other’s civilizations and cultures, and engage in travel and exchanges.”
The French president said he firmly believes that China and France are both great and brilliant civilizations, and that mutual respect and understanding form the foundation of their friendship.
He noted that the two sides had just signed an agreement that will enable the cultural treasures of Sanxingdui — a Shu civilization site with bronze artifacts dating back 3,000 to 3,600 years — to be exhibited in France, allowing the gems of Sichuan’s ancient civilization to go on public display there.
Macron added that the two countries will work together to facilitate more exchange opportunities for French students to study in China in the future.
Also on Friday, Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to see Yuan Meng, the first giant panda ever born in France.
The French first lady, who is also the godmother of Yuan Meng, posed for a photograph with the panda during the visit.
The panda’s name Yuan Meng, which literally means “dreams come true” in Chinese, was jointly selected by China and France to represent the wishes for an enduring friendship between the two nations.
The male panda was born in August 2017 to his parents Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, who were sent to Beauval Zoo in central France in 2012 under a 10-year collaborative conservation research project, which was later extended to January 2027.
During Macron’s visit to China, the two countries agreed on Thursday to launch a new round of cooperation on giant panda protection.
Macron left Chengdu on Friday evening, concluding his three-day state visit to China.
