The special exhibition "When the Forbidden City Meets the Palace of Versailles - Cultural Exchange between China and France in the 17th and 18th Centuries" was officially opened to the public at the Palace Museum in Hong Kong on the 18th. This exhibition is jointly organized by the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Palace Museum, and the Palace of Versailles in France, aiming to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and the China France Cultural Tourism Year. The exhibition selects nearly 150 treasures from the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, presenting the history of mutual appreciation, inspiration, and exchange between the Chinese and French courts in culture, art, technology, and other fields from the second half of the 17th century to the 18th century, as well as the long-standing friendship between the two countries. Wang Xudong, the director of the Palace Museum, stated that this exhibition presents the profound and intertwined friendly memories between China and France from a new curatorial perspective and approach, revealing that cultural exchange and mutual learning are important driving forces for promoting world peace and human civilization progress. Laurent Salome, the director of the National Museum of Versailles and Trianon in France, said that the exhibition selected new collections from the museum in the past 10 years, showcasing the long and profound history of exchanges between China and France from a novel perspective. This exhibition is divided into four units, namely two palaces, science and diplomacy, mutual learning and innovation in craftsmanship, and art and new knowledge. The exhibits include 8 Chinese national first-class cultural relics, as well as precious collections from the Palace of Versailles in France and recent new collections. Most of the exhibits are on display in Hong Kong for the first time. The exhibition will continue until May 4th, 2025. (New Society)