Introduction: France–China 60 years on

The Introduction to the special issue on 'France–China 60 Years On' opens with a section investigating the diplomatic and cultural milestones that have shaped Franco–Chinese relations since 1964. From de Gaulle's recognition of the PRC to the cultural fascination with Maoism, through periods of rapprochement, friction, and renewed dialogue, it provides the historical and political framework against which cultural exchange and artistic production can be understood. The next section builds on this contextual framework to examine the emergence of Franco–Chinese studies as a scholarly field in its own right. Beginning with the literary focus of the early 2000s, it delineates the field's expansion into visual arts, cinema, and intermedial practices, showing how anniversaries and landmark publications helped consolidate a body of research that remains vibrant and increasingly global in scope. Along with the conclusion, it also reflects on how this special issue offers an original intervention into the academic field. The third section shifts focus to the lived experiences of transnational mobility and creative exchange. It highlights how transcultural flows of people, languages, and creative works across France and China have generated unique forms of hybridity, reshaping identity and community in ways that extend well beyond state-led initiatives. The final section introduces the contributions to the special issue, organised thematically across history, visual and performing arts, and literature.