Communication brings our hearts closer

Photos provided to People's Daily

Counting from my first visit to China in 2014, I have visited the country eight times over the past decade. I have explored cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Wuxi, Changzhou, and Luoyang, as well as the old revolutionary base areas in east China's Jiangxi Province. I have fully experienced the country's rapid development and the hospitality of the Chinese people, while also delving into rich Chinese culinary culture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

I had a vibrant experience celebrating International Nurses Day with Chinese nurses. A few years ago, I led a delegation of experts from a hospital in Fontainebleau, France, on a trip to China. During our visit to Jintan First People's Hospital in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, it happened to be the International Nurses Day. The hospital invited me to present awards to their outstanding nurses. Together with my Chinese counterparts, we came together excitedly, creating a lively atmosphere akin to the Spring Festival.

That evening, I savored authentic Chinese cuisine. I particularly enjoyed dishes like Dongpo pork, silverfish, and fried tofu with water celery. I even tried out huangjiu, a beloved yellow rice wine in Jiangsu Province, which, though sweet and delicious, packed quite a punch. After two large glasses, I found myself dizzy -- or as the Chinese would say, "I couldn't find north."

I've had the opportunity to interact deeply with Chinese children. When I led a delegation from the Paul Brousse Hospital on a goodwill visit to Pingxiang city in Jiangxi Province, I attended the opening ceremony of a sports meeting at Pingxiang City Health School and was struck by the sight of thousands of students engaging in the event together.

We also visited a local middle school where several dozen children sang the French song "Frère Jacques" for us. The Chinese version of this song is the well-known "Two Tigers." I joined the children in singing this nursery rhyme, and their enthusiastic smiles and pure voices are still fresh in my memory. I also met a local child who was suffering from leukemia. I gave him a box of chocolate and made a donation for his treatment. Later, I heard that he had recovered and enrolled in a high school. I was overjoyed to hear this news!

I've experienced Chinese acupuncture and massage. During my visits to China, I received TCM treatments, which helped alleviate the shoulder and neck strain caused by long hours at my desk. Recently, I attended a cultural promotional activity for China's Jiangsu Province in Paris, where I experienced exquisite acupuncture therapy.

Photos provided to People's Daily

During my tenure as the deputy mayor of Samois-sur-Seine in Fontainebleau, I arranged several friendly visits, academic lectures, and exchanges for hospital employees from different French regions to China. In France, I have received numerous Chinese delegations to exchange experience and practices in healthcare, elderly care, and cultural tourism. As our mutual understanding deepens, I find myself increasingly fond of China and enjoy interacting with Chinese people. I admire their sincerity, enthusiasm, and kindness.

Due to cultural and institutional differences between the East and West, many French individuals around me have never been to China and lack a true understanding of the country. I told them that seeing is believing, and they should visit China themselves if they can. In China, many people go out without cash and rarely use credit cards, as mobile payments are quick and convenient. The high-speed railway linking Beijing and Shanghai covers about 1,200 kilometers in just half a day.

I was most struck by China's comprehensive rural revitalization. At the foot of Wugong Mountain in Pingxiang, I saw new residences of local villagers lit up by the gentle glow of the early winter sun, mingled with wisps of cooking smoke, creating a stunning sight reminiscent of a painting by Van Gogh.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of France-China relations, and I sincerely wish for the relationship between our two countries to grow ever stronger. China is a responsible major country in the world and its international influence has continued to rise. I have a strong belief in China's increasing prosperity.

Although I have retired from my position as the deputy mayor of Samois-sur-Seine, I continue to serve as the honorary president of the France-China Association for the Promotion of Economic Exchanges, contributing my efforts to economic, trade, people-to-people and cultural cooperation between our two countries.

I extend a heartfelt welcome to Chinese friends to visit France because more exchanges and communication can bring our hearts closer.

(Marie-Francoise Bourginion is the honorary president of the France-China Association for the Promotion of Economic Exchanges.)