Sino-French exchanges have a robust future

Editor's note: This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties. Over the past decades, China and France have enjoyed close cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade, and have made a series of pioneering achievements. Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily.

The first Western translation of The Analects of Confucius, and two other Confucian classics, appeared in Paris in 1687. Dedicated to King Louis XIV of France, the Latin-language volume spread throughout Europe. One of its editors, the Jesuit Philippe Couplet, was impressed by the philosophy of Confucius, as evidenced in his remark: "We can say that the ethical system of the philosopher Confucius is sublime. It is at the same time simple, sensible, and derived from the best sources of natural reason."

During the same period, several French Jesuits, later described as "Mathematicians of the King" arrived in Beijing, and became the mathematics teachers of Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).Their success in curing Kangxi of fever by administering quinine earned them the gift of a plot of land on which were later built an astronomical observatory and other buildings. Within 15 years of the five Jesuits' arrival, 40 other French Jesuits would travel to China.