Feature:Frenchwriter's20-yeardedicationtopromotingChina-Franceculturalexchanges_GuangmingOnlineFeature:Frenchwriter's20-yeardedicationtopromotingChina-FranceculturalexchangesPARIS,Jan.25(Xinhua)--ForChristineCayol,aFrenchwriterdedicatedtofosteringChina-Franceculturalexchangesfornearlytwodecades,herencounterwithChinaandtheChineseculturewas"predestined,"akintoYuanfen.Theromancestartedwithalovestoryin2002whenCayolfollowedherfiance,whowassenttoworkinChina.TheythengotmarriedinChinaandlivedinahutonginBeijing."Youknow,thecountrywhereyougetmarried,youalsomarryitalittlebit,"CayoltoldXinhua."SincethefirstdaywhenIarrivedinBeijing,IhavefeltthepoweroftheChinesepeopletosing,tolaughandtolovelife."ItwasnothinglikewhatshehadbeentoldaboutChinabeforecomingtothiscountry."Youshouldalwaysgoandseewhatishappeninginreality,"shesaid.Forher,"ifyouwanttotalkaboutChina,thengotoChina."ShestartedtolearnMandarininBeijing,andexploreChinabytalkingwithfarmers,workers,academicsandartists.WithherunderstandingoftheChinesepeopleandculture,shehasalreadywrittenmultiplebooksthatareconsideredculturalbridgesbetweentheFrenchandtheChinesepeople."Whenyouareyoung,andyouhavebeentoChina,itwouldleaveamarkthroughoutyourwholelife,"CayoltoldXinhua."WhenIarrivedinChina,Iwasquitesurprisedandverydestabilized,butatthesametimedelightedofbeingabletolearnlotsofthings."In2009,CayolfoundedtheassociationYishu8inBeijingtofosterculturalexchangesbetweenFrenchandChineseartists.TheYishu8initiativegrantsaward-winningartistsfromFranceandChinatheopportunitytoresideinthecounterpart'scapital,providingthemwithaplatformtodrawinspirationfromthelocalartisticmilieuandimmersethemselvesintheculturallifestyleofthehostcountry."Wehaveforgedafriendshipthroughart.Thesearethefriendshipsbetweenartists,butalsofriendshipswiththeChinesecivilization.It'sacourierofpeace,acourierofharmonyandacourieroffuture,"shesaid.In2013,CayolwashonoredwiththeLegionofHonorattheFrenchEmbassyinBeijingbyJean-PierreRaffarin,formerFrenchprimeminister,forherexceptionalcontributiontoChina-Franceculturalexchanges.AskedabouttheroleofculturalexchangesinChina-Francerelations,Cayolsaiddiplomaticrelationsare"theroofofthehouse,"butwithinthehouse,thereshouldbeencountersbetweenpeoplelikeartists,businessleadersorstudents."It'sthesehumanrelationshipsthatmakeitpossibletoforgerealties"betweenthetwocountries,shetoldXinhua.Theyear2024marksthe60thanniversaryoftheestablishmentofdiplomaticrelationsbetweenChinaandFrance,andalsothe22ndyearofCayol'seffortstoconnectFranceandChinathroughculture."Ibelievethatinthefuture,itisnecessaryforboththeFrenchsideandtheChinesesidetomaintainamutualcuriosesity,"shesaid.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.