Photography exhibition on China-France-Europe cultural exchanges opens in Beijing

A pictures exhibition showcasing intercultural understanding and cultural exchanges between China, France, and Europe opened on Saturday at Beijing Language and Culture University, giving Beijing’s academic, cultural and diplomatic communities an opportunity for cross-cultural dialogue.

The inauguration ceremony of “Photographic Gaze on Chinese, French and European Cultures” was attended by the college’s president, representatives from the French Embassy in China, exhibiting photographers, and visitors from cultural and inventive circles.

“We are delighted to see that this space has truly become a meeting point for French and Chinese cultures, fulfilling its founding mission: to bring civilizations together and to foster the confrontation of diverse ideas. Today, our gaze extends further. This photo exhibition broadens the horizons of human exchanges beyond China and France, to include the European Union as well. Sixty carefully selected works depict the human faces, daily lives, and natural beauty of China, France, and EU member states,” stated Duan Peng, President of Beijing Language and Culture University.

As France celebrates pictures’s bicentenary, the exhibition highlights its enduring energy to bridge cultures.

“This exhibition carries special resonance, as 2026 marks the bicentenary of photography in France. Two centuries after the early experiments that led to the invention of this art form, this anniversary invites us to reflect on the essential role photography plays in our understanding of the world. As art, as testimony, as memory, as a universal language, it allows us to cast a sensitive eye over our societies and to better grasp our cultures,” stated Florent Aydalot, minister counselor for cultural, academic and scientific affairs on the Embassy of France in China.

The exhibition is split into three sections—China, France, and Europe—every presenting a novel cultural mosaic. From Chinese steppes and deserts to vigorous folks festivals, from French monuments and road scenes to ceremonial occasions and on a regular basis life in Europe, the gathering as an entire paints a wealthy, vibrant intercultural panorama.

“There are some exceptionally talented photographers here. Photography, as an art form, is one of the few ways to let others see through your eyes. So being exposed to these different perspectives, whether Chinese or European, is a truly wonderful opportunity to discover how people perceive the world and understand each other’s cultures,” stated Aaron Berkovich, one of many exhibiting photographers.

For one customer, the exhibition is greater than a set of photos—it’s a visible dialogue between cultures.

“For me, the visual is a real connection between two countries, between two cultures. It is the photographers’ vision, but also the vision of the cultural background each of us carries. There are the gazes from one side, and the gazes from the other: gazes that are much more natural, much more social, much more architectural, or even the way we perceive light—because that, too, is our way of seeing,” stated Fuentes Franklin, a customer.

Under the signal of friendship between the Chinese and French peoples, the exhibition highlights exchanges and coexistence amongst completely different cultures, bearing witness to the honest friendship between the 2 nations.

China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the assertion made by Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi 10 years after the so-called “2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea”, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated in Beijing on Sunday.

The assertion blatantly endorses the unlawful “award”, assaults China’s lawful claims and mischaracterizes Japan as a “legitimate stakeholder who uses the South China Sea”, stated the spokesperson.

Japan just isn’t a celebration within the South China Sea and is in no place to move judgment on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and pursuits within the South China Sea. During World War II, Japan dedicated innumerable crimes that precipitated untold struggling on China and its individuals, together with the unlawful occupation of islands and reefs within the South China Sea, stated the spokesperson.

Now a long time later, Japan, within the identify of a “stakeholder”, is once more making an attempt to meddle within the South China Sea. This reminds individuals of Japan’s historical past of aggression and enlargement, and heightens their vigilance in opposition to Japan’s neo-militarism agenda, stated the spokesperson.

China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and related rights and pursuits within the South China Sea have been established within the lengthy course of historical past, and are solidly grounded within the legislation. China’s actions within the South China Sea are totally professional, lawful and past reproach. China’s rights within the South China Sea can on no account be denied by the makeshift “arbitral tribunal”, stated the spokesperson.

In rendering the “award”, the “arbitral tribunal” exceeded its authority and abused its jurisdiction. The “award” is of course unlawful, null and void, and has no binding pressure. It has gravely undermined the sanctity and authority of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and dealt a severe blow to the worldwide rule of legislation, stated the spokesperson.

China neither accepts nor acknowledges the “award”, and opposes and can by no means settle for any declare or motion arising from it, the spokesperson added.

By turning a blind eye to the obvious flaws within the “award” whereas brazenly endorsing it, Japan has laid naked its double requirements and hypocrisy, stated the spokesperson.

What Japan actually cares about just isn’t the worldwide rule of legislation, however meddling in and destabilizing the South China Sea. For a while, Japan has been stepping up collaboration with the Philippines and increasing its export of weapons and tools to the nation. Japan has additionally deployed navy forces abroad on many events and launched offensive missiles. These actions go far past the scope of self-defense, break away from Japan’s Constitution and norms within the worldwide legislation, and problem the post-war worldwide order, stated the spokesperson.

China urges Japan to cease smearing China, cease sowing disinformation within the South China Sea, and cease undermining peace and stability within the area, stated the spokesperson, including that China will proceed firmly defending its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and pursuits within the South China Sea.

Any makes an attempt to problem China’s lawful rights and pursuits and undermine peace and stability within the South China Sea are doomed to fail, the spokesperson stated.