BLCU News, March 28 (Correspondent Wang Nana, Photographer Wei Da) – Beijing, March 27, 2025 – On the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, accompanied by French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary, Director-General for Asia and Oceania Benoît Guidée, Advisor to the Minister's Office Adèle Le Roy-Brose, National Assembly Member for the Paris Constituency and Chair of the France-China Friendship Group Sylvain Maillard, and Member of the European Parliament Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, along with over 20 senior French officials, visited Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). Minister Barrot inspected the construction progress of the Sino-French Cultural Exchange Space project and delivered a speech to BLCU faculty and students. This visit occurs during a critical preparation phase for the 7th China-France High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism, injecting new momentum into deepening cultural cooperation between the two countries. BLCU President Duan Peng, Vice President Zhang Baojun, and over 200 representatives of Chinese and international faculty and students attended the event.
In the VIP Lounge of the Main Building, President Duan Peng extended a warm welcome to Minister Barrot on behalf of the university. He highlighted BLCU's unwavering efforts and fruitful achievements in promoting China-foreign cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. To date, the university has trained over 6,000 French international students, making it the leading institution in China for educating French and other international students. BLCU has two campuses in Hainan and Xiong'an in China, and three overseas branches in Japan, Thailand, and Kazakhstan. Over its more than 60 years since founding, BLCU has cultivated 300,000 international students from 189 countries and regions who are proficient in Chinese and familiar with Chinese culture, including over 80 foreign dignitaries at the deputy prime minister level or above and more than 300 foreign ambassadors.
President Duan Peng pointed out that China-France friendship has spanned 61 years, with broad and deep cooperation yielding abundant results across various fields, particularly in education and culture, which remain enduringly vibrant and full of vitality. The Beijing Alliance Française, jointly operated by BLCU and Alliance Française de Paris, has achieved remarkable results, serving not only as a leading member of China's Alliance Française network but also as one of the top 10 Alliances Françaises worldwide, playing a pivotal role in promoting China-France cultural exchanges. BLCU continues to deepen cooperation with French institutions such as ESC Clermont Business School. With strong support from Ambassador Bertrand Lortholary, BLCU has submitted a proposal to the Chinese Ministry of Education to establish a non-independent legal entity Sino-foreign cooperative educational institution in Hainan—the BLCU Clermont Business School Institute of Language Sciences and Industries. It is believed that Minister Barrot's visit will elevate educational exchanges between BLCU and French universities, as well as comprehensive China-France cooperation, to new heights
Minister Barrot expressed gratitude to President Duan Peng for the invitation and warm reception. Invited by Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, he will discuss key bilateral cooperation issues with the Chinese side, expand two-way economic and trade cooperation, enrich cultural exchanges, enhance people-to-people friendship, increase positive agendas in bilateral relations, and prepare for the 7th China-France High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism in June.
Minister Barrot affirmed BLCU's important role in promoting cultural exchanges between China and France, highly appreciating the university's significant contributions to training French international students and diplomats. He expressed high expectations for further close cooperation between BLCU and ESC Clermont Business School, hoping to continue strengthening exchanges between universities of both countries on existing foundations.
After the talks, President Duan Peng and Minister Barrot exchanged gifts and posed for commemorative photos.
On the square outside the Yifu Lecture Hall, President Duan Peng provided Minister Barrot with a detailed introduction to the design concept of the Sino-French Cultural Exchange Space and accompanied him on an on-site inspection of the project construction. This important space, bearing the future of China-France friendly exchanges, is about to open, and Minister Barrot extended heartfelt congratulations.
Minister Barrot delivered a speech to BLCU faculty and student representatives in the Yifu Lecture Hall. In his speech, he first thanked BLCU for the warm reception during his visit and for its efforts in training a large number of senior French diplomats, including former French Ambassador to China Sylvie Bermann. He hoped the university would continue to inspire and encourage Chinese and French students, cultivating the next ambassadors and foreign ministers among them. He also shared in-depth insights with the audience on topics such as enhancing China-France friendship, promoting global cooperation to address challenges, and advancing China-France educational cooperation, and answered questions from student representatives.
On behalf of the university, President Duan Peng thanked Minister Barrot for his inspiring speech, emphasizing that the visit holds great significance, not only as care and support for BLCU but also as affirmation and promotion of China-France educational cooperation. BLCU faculty and students shoulder the mission of advancing further friendly exchanges between China and France. With the Sino-French Cultural Exchange Space as a carrier, they will jointly promote mutual assistance and learning among youth from both countries, inherit the tradition of China-France friendship, and compose a new chapter in China-France amity.
Minister Barrot's visit sparked strong resonance among Chinese and international students. On-site student representatives, experiencing frontline major-country diplomacy, expressed deep inspiration and encouragement, reaffirming their commitment to cultural exchanges between China and the world. They pledge to be “narrators” and “disseminators” of Chinese stories, as well as “practitioners” and “promoters” of mutual learning among civilizations.
Editor: Lü Meining
Reviewer: Chen Siyu
