Standing in front of the yellow roofs and red walls of Beijing's Hall of Literary Glory, French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné cut the ribbon on Monday, April 1, inaugurating the major exhibition "The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles," after a short concert performed in the Chinese capital by the Royal Opera Orchestra of the Palace of Versailles. The event was one of the most high-profile amid a dense program of cultural events to mark the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and the People's Republic of China.

Chinese visitors will discover the mutual curiosity that inspired the courts of Louis XIV and Emperor Kangxi. Astronomical instruments and refined watches sent to China as diplomatic gifts aroused keen interest, while the French sovereign and his entourage acquired a new passion for artifacts made of porcelain, whose composition was still a mystery, and discovered China's carefully designed fans and wallpapers. The French art world quickly fell in love with the Middle Kingdom, as did some of the intellectual elite, including Voltaire, a major China enthusiast, who would eagerly read the accounts of the Jesuits who had lived there. "Culture brings peoples together," said Christophe Leribault, president of the Château de Versailles.

The program for this French-Chinese Year of Cultural Tourism is ambitious: Claude Viallat's paintings on display in Kunming; Marc Riboud's photos in Changsha; masterpieces from the Reims Museum in Shenzhen; works by visual artist Annette Messager in Shanghai; the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra and Paris Chamber Orchestra on tour, etc. These are just some of the efforts being made to renew ties with China – not just its leaders, but also its people – after three years of isolation during the pandemic, and at a time when divergences between the two countries have been mounting.

A few weeks ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to France in early May, these represent the most encouraging aspect of a difficult relationship. Paris has noted that China has maintained its resolute commitment to certain global issues such as climate change, as both the leading emitter of CO₂ and a world leader in renewables. The International Energy Agency has estimated that it will account for 56% of renewable energy capacity deployment over the period from 2023 to 2028.

As for the rest, there have been many points of divergence. At the top of the list are two issues. One is diplomatic and affects Europe's fundamental security interests: After more than two years of war in Ukraine, Beijing's diplomatic and economic support for Moscow has continued unabated, despite China's alleged neutrality. Paris has considered that European pressure may have dissuaded Beijing from going further in its support by committing to arms sales; but has also noted that the Chinese position has not been evolving in the right direction, as the closeness between Xi and Vladimir Putin has only increased. "We are expecting China to convey very clear messages to Russia," Séjourné told Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi at the diplomatic residence for foreign guests, the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse (DSG).

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