Dialogue on cultural exchange held in Paris

On April 17, a dialogue on cultural exchange was held at the China Cultural Center in Paris, France. The event, gathering over 50 prominent figures from the cultural, publishing, and scientific and technological communities of China and France, is part of a Chinese culture-themed exhibition titled "Souffle d'Orient" which opened at the Paris Book Festival.

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group (CICG), delivers a welcome speech at a dialogue on cultural exchange in Paris, France, April 17, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group (CICG), said in his welcome speech that 2026 marks a new milestone of China-France diplomatic relations and the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). Faced with intertwined international complexities and the new challenges of the technological revolution, this dialogue is of great significance in building on the past and charting a new course. He emphasized that both sides should foster better international relations, take mutual learning as a bridge to reinforce people-to-people connectivity, and seize technological innovation to enrich human civilization.

Gao said that CICG will continue to promote in-depth development of cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and France through diverse channels such as book publishing, translation, think tank dialogues, and media cooperation. 

Catherine Ruggeeri, chief supervisor of cultural industries, French Ministry of Culture, speaks at a dialogue on cultural exchange in Paris, France, April 17, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

Catherine Ruggeeri, chief supervisor of cultural industries, French Ministry of Culture, noted that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought new development opportunities to French society, yet also posed challenges. These include infringements on the intellectual property rights and legitimate interests of artists, as well as impacts on young people's capacity for independent thinking and judgment. She stressed that China and France should deepen exchanges and cooperation to foster a better ecosystem for cultural creation and knowledge innovation while advancing technological innovation.

Zhu Xiaoyun, deputy director of the China Cultural Center in Paris, speaks at a dialogue on cultural exchange in Paris, France, April 17, 2026. [Photo/CICG] 

Zhu Xiaoyun, deputy director of the China Cultural Center in Paris, noted that new technologies including AI are exerting a profound influence, rendering exchanges among civilizations more important than ever. As countries with rich cultures and advocates of cultural diversity, China and France should further strengthen their cultural dialogue — particularly in the sphere of ideas — both bilaterally and with Europe as a whole. Such efforts will boost mutual understanding between their peoples and inject more positive energy into world peace and development, she said.

"Keywords to Understand China: New Quality Productive Forces" published by the New World Press under China International Communications Group (CICG). [Photo/CICG]

Participants from China and France deliver keynote speeches at an event in Paris, France, April 17, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

At a themed promotion section during the event, a representative of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS), a subsidiary under CICG, introduced the book "Keywords to Understand China: New Quality Productive Forces" published by the New World Press. Through the book, readers can better understand China's vision for technological innovation, cultural exchange, and mutual learning over the next five years. The representative called on stakeholders in both China and France to leverage digital technologies to break down barriers of time and space and expand the scope of people-to-people exchanges. Both sides were also encouraged to foster new forms of integration between culture and technology, explore more innovative ways of telling their civilizational stories, and use smart translation tools to overcome language barriers and enable more precise communication of ideas.

Participants speak at a roundtable session in Paris, France, April 17, 2026. [Photo/CICG]

Participants from both sides had in-depth discussions on the opportunities and challenges posed by AI, covering literary translation, digital publishing, knowledge sharing, cultural exchange, cultural industries, and film and television communication. They highlighted the potential disruptions that AI may bring, and further emphasized the critical importance of upholding the humanistic spirit and cultural values in guiding the development and application of technology.

Guided by CICG and hosted by the ACCWS，the dialogue aims to build a bridge for exchange and pragmatic cooperation among China's and France's cultural, publishing and think tank circles, promoting mutual learning and strengthening people-to-people bonds.