Though thousands of miles apart, the ancient and refined civilization of China has always held a profound fascination for the people of France. Looking back at the history of recent several centuries, from historical texts and landmarks to meetings between heads of state, we can see many precious moments of amicable exchanges between the two countries.

Louis XIV (1638–1715), famously known as the "Sun King," had a great interest in China's culture and history during his reign. The most known event occurred in the late 17th century when Louis XIV dispatched a French Jesuit mission to China to visit Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1616–1911). Since 1697, missionary Joachim Bouvet (1656–1730) had brought Louis XIV over 300 books given by Emperor Kangxi, which were revered treasures housed within the former Royal Library (current National Library of France). The earliest Chinese collections in the National Library of France comprise 16 Chinese manuscripts left by Louis XIV's godfather, former French prime minister Julio Lemondo Massarino (1602–1661).

The allure of China has captivated the French people since ancient times — a sentiment reinforced by my 17-year sojourn in China.

The marble monument with an embossed portrait of Zhou Enlai (1898–1976) at Hotel Neptune on Godefroy Street in downtown Paris, France. The name of Zhou Enlai in Chinese was penned by Deng Xiaoping (1904–1997). [Photo by Li Yang/China News Service