French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre headed to China

Jarre made history in 1981 by performing two concerts in Beijing and three in Shanghai at a time when the People's Republic of China (PRC) had only just begun opening up to the world. Photo: AFP

Electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre is travelling to China this week as part of a cultural delegation accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron, who starts an official state visit in Beijing on Wednesday.

The first Western musician to stage an official concert in China after the 1976 death of Mao Zedong in 1981, Jarre's visit this week serves to underscore the cultural ties shared by the two nations.