French President Emmanuel Macron made waves in Chengdu this week with a landmark visit to Sichuan University, spotlighting growing educational collaboration between China and France. The December 5 visit comes as both nations celebrate 44 years of Chengdu's sister-city partnership with Montpellier – the first such Franco-Chinese pairing established in 1981.
🔥 Why It Matters: With Sichuan University currently partnering with top French institutions like Paris Institute of Political Studies and University of Toulouse, Macron's tour highlights how campus connections are becoming new bridges for international diplomacy. Students cheered as the president discussed AI research partnerships and cultural exchange programs set to launch in 2026.
📚 Classroom Diplomacy: 'When young minds collaborate, borders fade,' said a 24-year-old linguistics major during the visit. The university's Chinese-French cultural center – decked in VR exhibits of Montpellier's architecture – has become a hotspot for 5,000+ students learning French this year alone.
🌐 Bigger Picture: This campus visit follows China's recent expansion of its 'Belt and Road' education initiatives, with France emerging as a key European partner in tech and humanities research. As global students increasingly look for multinational study options, Macron's campus detour sends a powerful signal: classrooms are the new frontiers of international relations.
