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THE French Renault motorcade arrived in Beijing on Thursday night (June 9th) after its 67-day drive along the ancient Silk Road.

The stunt is a part of the "Year of France in China" activities to promote French culture in China.

The motorcade kicked off its cross-continental journey from Lyon on April 2, and has traveled through more than 13 countries, covering 20,000 kilometers.

"The motorcade's arrival opened an intangible but more open modern 'silk road' for communication and cooperation between Beijing and Lyon," said Zhang Mao, vice mayor of Beijing, at a welcome ceremony.

The motorcade crossed Iran's Lut Desert, Turkmenistan's Karakum Desert and China's Kaklimakan and Tengger deserts along the way to Beijing.

Presenting a 1.2-m-by-1.2-m square silk scarf embroidered with expedition logos as a gift to Beijing, Gerard Collomb, mayor of Lyon, said at the ceremony that the journey was made "in commemoration of the silk history."

"I think Lyon's citizens will never forget the ancient Silk Road, which brought a booming economy, updated knowledge and developed culture to our city," he said.

In a few days, two trucks from the expedition motorcade and an additional seven Renault trucks will form a new Renault motorcade, heading to 15 cities in China on a nationwide promotion tour.

Editor: Wing