More than 300 years ago, five French priests were sent by their Emperor to Beijing as the first French cultural envoys.

This year Chinese artists will go to France to take part in a diversified art and performance exhibition during the upcoming Chinese Culture Year.

The year's activities will debut in Paris on Oct. 6, and with more than 300 programs, will bring the cultures of Asia and Europe together.

Chinese Culture Minister Sun Jiazheng said in an interview with Xinhua on Friday that the Chinese Culture Year will greet the French people with Chinese culture programs of unprecedented size,innovation and quality, marking a milestone in history between the two countries.

Sun said Sino-French culture relations had reached a peak, with an annual exchange of more than 200 projects. In recent years, the two countries have signed a series of documents to set up culture centers and strengthen inter-government culture cooperation.

The Chinese Culture Year will cover various fields of literature and arts, education, technology, p hysical culture, minority groups and tourism, said Sun.

More than 20 provinces and cities in China will host activitieswith their French counterparts.

He said the Chinese Culture Year will host many exhibitions and performances, such as a Chinese modern life exhibition, a Chinese 20th century art exhibition and tour performances by the Chinese Central Ballet Troupe.

Sun said cultural exchange between the peoples of China and France has a long history. France nurtured a number of masters in philosophy, arts and literature, and its literature in the 19th century greatly inspired the Chinese New-Culture Movement.

The China-France culture year, was of great importance to boostmutual understanding and traditional friendship of the two peoples,and promote exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.
 
(Xinhua News Agency October 4, 2003)