China, France witness growing educational exchanges: ministry

BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Over 46,000 Chinese students are currently pursuing studies in France, while more than 1,500 French students are enrolled in Chinese institutions, according to China's Ministry of Education.

In a statement, the ministry highlighted fruitful educational collaboration and exchange outcomes between China and France since the two countries established a high-level people-to-people exchange mechanism in 2014.

Both countries have expanded language programs to foster cultural exchanges. Chinese universities have established 148 undergraduate, 34 master's degree, and 10 doctoral teaching sites, while 18 Confucius Institutes and a Confucius Classroom have been established in France.

Collaborative academic initiatives have also flourished, seeing the establishment of 69 joint programs spanning levels above undergraduate, and involving 54 Chinese and 67 French universities.

Yang Dan, a senior official with the ministry, has pledged to further enhance exchanges between Chinese and French students and to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education, proposing more programs and activities to achieve this goal.