Sino-French cultural exhibition kicks off to celebrate bilateral diplomatic ties

(ECNS) -- A special exhibition titled “The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles -- China-France Cultural Encounters in the 17th-18th Centuries” opened on Monday at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, to celebrate the 60th anniversary China-France diplomatic ties as well as the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.

Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum in Beijing, stated that the exhibition presents the long-standing friendship between China and France, highlighting the cultural exchange as an important impetus for promoting world peace and the progress of human civilization.

Mr. Leo Kung Lin-cheng, chairman of the board of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, stated that the exhibition promotes dialogues between different civilizations, bringing the rich and diverse cultures of the world to local audiences and visitors while boosting Hong Kong’s cultural and tourism sector.

The exhibition showcases nearly 150 cultural relics from the collections of the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, including court portraits, porcelain, enamelware, textiles, scientific instruments, among which are 8 Chinese national first-class cultural relics. Most of the exhibits are being presented in Hong Kong for the first time.

The exhibition, co-organized by the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, will last till May 4, 2025.