Tongji University, WHITRAP Shanghai, the French Ministry of Culture, Heritage and Architecture Department, the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine (Center for Architecture and Heritage), including the Ecole de Chaillot (National school for training architects in preservation and restoration of architectural, urban and landscape heritage) and the Observatoire de l’Architecture de la Chine Contemporaine (Observatory of architecture in contemporary China), the Association des Petites Cités de Charactères - PCC (Association of small towns of character), and the Association Nationale des Architectes des Bâtiments de France - ANABF (French national association of State architects for heritage protection) and the Academie d’Architecture have a long-standing partnership on urban-rural heritage conservation for territorial development.

In 2024, China and France celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and the China-France Cultural Tourism Year. On May 20, Chinese and French partners held a conference and an exhibition titled "Heritage Beyond Borders: Heritage Protection and Cultural Tourism in China and France for Sustainable Development" at Tongji University in Shanghai. On May 21, a sub-forum and the academic exchange event “Green Mansion Talk on Famous Cities” were held at the Shanghai Urban Planning and Design Research Institute. From May 22 to 25, a workshop took place in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. The two sides reviewed the 25-year journey of cooperation in architectural and urban-rural heritage protection and discussed the latest theories and practices in the fields of urban heritage conservation and sustainable development, regional cultural and natural heritage protection, as well as rural heritage and rural revitalization. They worked together to build a new framework for China-France cooperation in heritage protection and cultural tourism in the new era. The event held in Paris, France, is part of the 2024 series of activities celebrating the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations and the China-France Cultural Tourism Year. It also serves as the ANABF Academic Seminar Day and the opening lecture of the École de Chaillot. Chinese and French experts exchanged ideas on the theme o “Patrimoines, des fleuves à l’océan”, which refers to "Heritage Beyond Borders: From Rivers to Oceans," sharing new perspectives and approaches on cultural and natural heritage conservation for sustainable development.

On 21 October, during the seminar, a cordial and productive meeting took place between the Chinese and French counterparts in the office of Julien BARGETON, President of the Cité, with a view of the Eiffel Tower. The French participants included Jean-Marc ZURRETI, Director of Chaillot and Françoise GED, Xavier CLARKE DE DROMANTIN, Inspector of architecture and heritage, Ministry of Culture, Florence DECLAVEILLERE, Vice President of the ANABF, Chief of the Unités Départementales de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine-UDAP Martinique (Departmental Unit of Architecture and Heritage of Martinique) Ministry of Culture, Roger BATAILLE, Vice President of the Petites Cités de caractère, Alain MARINOS, Delegate of the Petites Cités de caractères, Honorary General Inspector of architecture and heritage, Ministry of Culture and former Director of the Ecole de Chaillot.The Chinese delegation was led by Professor LOU Yongqi, Vice President of Tongji, Professor SHAO Yong, Secretary General of WHITRAP and Director of WHITRAP Shanghai, Professor of College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Professor ZHANG Peng, Vice Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and by QU Chen, Deputy Director, International Office Tongji University and ZHANG Xiangrong, Program Coordinator, International Office Tongji University, and Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai.

The Cité President, Julien BARGETON opened the meeting by addressing a warm welcome to Vice President Lou and the Chinese delegation, expressed his strong interest in cooperation with Tongji. They discussed priority areas of future cooperation, including sustainable development of urban and rural heritage, integrated protection of natural and cultural heritage, the role of artificial intelligence in heritage conservation, and collaboration in heritage protection education and research. They agreed to enhance the existing cooperation while introducing new topics for collaboration.

Prior to this Conference, on 15 October 2024, Prof. SHAO Yong, WHITRAP met with Jean-Marc ZURETTI, Chaillot Director, Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. The meeting’s purpose was to follow up on the May 2024 mission of the French Delegation to China and exchange views on the implementation of activities in the framework of the cooperation between Tongji University, WHITRAP Shanghai, Chaillot, and the Cité.