Photo exhibition on 50 years of China-France relations opens in Paris

（Xinhua） 09:26, June 15, 2013

People visit a photo exhibition on China-France relationship at Xinhua Gallery in Paris, France, June 13, 2013. The photo exhibition opened here on Thursday, to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2014. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

PARIS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition to mark the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, jointly organized by Xinhua News Agency and AFP, has launched in Paris. The event also inaugurated the Xinhua Paris Gallery.

The exhibition came following French President Francois Hollande's visit to China in April, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the two leaders agreed to hold events over the course of 2014 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

Thursday's opening of the photo exhibition "Fifty Years of China-France Relations" is a foretaste of later events to follow.

More than 300 visitors, including government officials, photograph professionals, artists, scholars and media workers came to the event.

Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Diplomatic Adviser to President Hollande Jean-Paul Ortiz, President of France-China Friendship Group in the National Assembly Jean-Marie Le Guen, President and CEO of Agence France-Presse Emmanuel Hoog and Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in France Deng Li were all presented.

Speaking to the opening ceremony, Giscard d'Estaing recalled the moment dated back to some 50 years ago, when he was a junior minister in the French government, attended a meeting of the then President Charles de Gaulle who announced that France would recognize the People's Republic of China (PRC) after making some briefing about China.