China-France relations explored by Gen Zers

Center: Zhong Yutong, a Chinese student at Tsinghua University and the host of the episode of Youth Power. Counterclockwise from top left: Guery Alexandre, a French vlogger; Peng Shuyu, a Chinese student at Peking University; Ni Xiajun, a Chinese student at Fudan University; Oceane Rivoire, a French student at Tongji University; Pierre Jouglet, a French software engineer working in China; Lefevre Michele, a pre-college student at Fudan University.[Photo by Dong Ming/For China Daily]

On Jan 26, a day before the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties, young people from both countries gathered in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, to discuss their similarities and differences.

This meeting was featured in the episode of China Daily's Youth Power, titled "A Journey Together: China-France Relations at 60", in which four young guests from France and three Chinese Gen Zers shared their experiences, highlighting the vibrant connections between the youth of both countries.

These young guests, who had been exposed to both French and Chinese cultures in various ways, discussed the culture shocks they experienced when first encountering each other's people and lifestyles.

Ni Xiajun, for example, is a 22-year-old Chinese student majoring in French at Fudan University in Shanghai. He found it surprising to observe the differences between the etiquette of greeting in China and France. He recalled his time in France, where people warmly greeted each other, even with bus drivers and shop assistants.

"I had a hard time getting accustomed to this at first, because in Shanghai, we just skip these formalities of greeting and go directly to the thing we want to have and get to the point," he said.

Guery Alexandre, a French vlogger living in China, offered a different observation. According to him, people in French villages still warmly welcome and talk to strangers sometimes, but in Paris, people have lost that habit due to the high population density and stress of the city.

The young guests also pointed out that as exchanges between China and France deepen, Chinese modern culture is gaining popularity in France.

Lefevre Michele, an 18-year-old pre-college student at Fudan University, found that Chinese TV dramas, like Meteor Garden, have been well-received in France, particularly among many female French viewers. It was her love for these dramas that sparked her initial interest in Chinese culture, leading her to further her studies in China.

Peng Shuyu, a student majoring in French at Peking University, also shared her observations and insights about French culture. She believed that the French language is precise and has a complex grammar system. "There are so many tenses — more than 20, and there are so many verb conjugations."

Alexandre admitted that French people take pride in their language. He recalled how his mother emphasized the proper use of French — if he ever used incorrect grammar in an email, his mom would call him and guide him to correct his mistakes. He also mentioned that nowadays, more and more high schools in France are starting to introduce Chinese language courses.

Oceane Rivoire, for instance, is deeply drawn by the charm of the Chinese language, which led her to come to China. Rivoire, now a student majoring in Chinese language and literature at Tongji University in Shanghai, found the homonyms in Chinese extremely interesting, such as the word "bat", which has the same pronunciation as the word "fortune", and "red dates and peanuts" are usually used to extend good wishes for the newlyweds to have a baby soon. It is some of these attached meanings that have deepened her understanding of the Chinese language.

Looking ahead to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the young participants engaged in lively discussions about their expectations.

Pierre Jouglet, a 29-year-old software engineer in China, expressed eager anticipation for the handball and soccer events — especially soccer, which is a source of national pride for France. He also highlighted badminton and table tennis as China's strengths.

Peng expressed young people's desire to participate in the Paris Olympics in their own way. In fact, she and her classmates have already signed up as volunteers for the Olympics, hoping to contribute to the event with other youngsters from around the world.

Guests from both countries agreed that the generous and selfless spirit of volunteerism in France, and the tradition of benevolent thoughts in Chinese culture are both splendid treasures that can serve as powerful catalysts for the development of the two countries' relationship.

As the conversation shifted to technological innovation, Rivoire pointed out that French people tend to be relatively conservative toward new technologies, likening it to French people's cooking habits. "While making food, French people wouldn't have a lot of tastes. They just have a little bit of pepper and salt. We like to keep things simple," she said. "Maybe we are not as accustomed to new things as easily as in China, where everything develops very, very quickly technologically."

Alexandre, however, believed that it's mainly the older generation in France that tends to be traditional, while the young people are used to embracing new technology. He also praised China's mobile payment system, saying that he hoped France could also popularize mobile payment since it's much more convenient compared to using cash.

When it comes to the possible future cooperation between China and France, Ni suggested that the rail transit and aviation industry should be a focal point. He specifically mentioned the technological exchange between China's C919 and France's Airbus, believing that such joint ventures could further enhance product quality.

Peng, on the other hand, expressed a strong interest in sustainability, particularly the ecological development of the energy industry in both countries. She once wrote an essay on France's nuclear power and found that over 70 percent of the electricity is generated by nuclear power in France. Feeling astonished, she pondered whether China could learn something from it and if the collaboration between the two countries could be broadened.

The Gen Z participants unanimously agreed that seeking common ground, deepening communication, and fostering cooperation are essential for the stronger growth of the relationship between the two countries.