On January 5, the opening ceremony of the 40th China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival and France-China Culture and Tourism Year, co-sponsored by the Harbin Municipal People's Government and the French Embassy in China, was held in the Harbin Ice and Snow World. Lu Yingchuan, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism, and Olivia Gregoire, Minister Delegate of the French Ministry of Economy, Finance, Industry and Digital Sovereignty, jointly launched the Franco-Chinese Year of Culture and Tourism. Xu Qin, Secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee, Liang Huiling, Governor of Heilongjiang Province, French Ambassador to China, Mr. Paik Yutang, and Mr. Ho Chiu-qiong, Vice President and Secretary General of the World Forum on Tourism Economics, and other honored guests attended the opening ceremony, and unveiled the Temple of Heaven and Notre Dame de Paris Ice Sculpture Buildings.

In April 2023, President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting China, jointly announced the relaunch of China-France cultural exchanges and the co-organization of China-France Year of Culture and Tourism on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2024.  At the end of January 2024, China will organize the opening series of events for the Sino-French Year of Culture and Tourism in France, such as "Hello! China" tourism promotion conference, "Silk Road Porcelain Walk" China Jingdezhen Ceramic Culture Special Exhibition, "Chinese Lantern Festival" and other activities.