French President Emmanuel Macron recently met with Dr. Adrian Cheng, founder of K11, a unique brand concept of cultural commerce, sustaining an ecosystem that caters to all walks of life, at the Élysée Palace, Paris.
During the meeting, Macron highly commended Cheng’s long-standing efforts in promoting Sino-French cultural exchange.
Macron also lauded Cheng’s establishment of the K11 Art Foundation (KAF), which has forged deep collaborations with leading French cultural institutions such as the Centre Pompidou and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, building a bridge for artists and cultural organizations between China and France.
Macron emphasized that France intends to further strengthen its cultural cooperation with China and expressed hope that, through joint efforts, art could become an eternal bridge connecting the two nations.
He also stated that France is willing to allocate more resources to cultural exchange and work with Adrian Cheng to promote the global dissemination of art and culture.
During the meeting, Adrian Cheng shared his aspiration to use the K11 platform and KAF’s support to foster joint art exhibitions, public art projects, and youth artist exchanges, enhancing cultural integration between China and France.
He also highlighted KAF’s role in helping young artists enter the global stage and promote cultural exchange.
After meeting with President Macron, Adrian Cheng said,
“I had the honour of meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and his cabinet last week, where we engaged in an inspiring discussion about the role of cultural exchange as a vital bridge connecting East and West.
These meaningful conversations laid the foundation for innovative collaborations across global cultural industries—spanning art, design, heritage, animation, sports, and even eSports—unlocking a tremendous market opportunity valued at over USD 3 trillion and fostering mutual growth for both countries.”
He said, “I firmly believe that together, we can promote a new, inclusive, and thriving cultural industry landscape, empowering the charm of culture to shine in every corner of the world.”
It is reported that the global cultural industry is valued at approximately USD3 trillion, with the annual trade volume of cultural goods amounting to about USD400 billion, representing less than 20% of the total market size.
This indicates that a significant portion of cultural goods has yet to enter the international trade market, demonstrating the immense growth potential of the cultural industry.
