Jan 27 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of France. Being the first between China and a Western power, China-France ties have developed beyond ordinary bilateral ties.

The two countries' soft power and interactions have played a key role in the development of this bilateral ties. Both have rich cultural histories and made huge contributions to political thought, literature, art and technology.

Chinese people have long been interested in French literature and culture. Through the works of Victor Hugo, Honore de Balzac, Gustav Flaubert, Alexandre Dumas and Emile Zola, Chinese people have gained a deeper knowledge of France and French culture than other European countries.