Global Update: In return, Macron presented him with a special work by French author Victor Hugo.Thanks to his steadfast push, cultural exchanges between China and other countries are flourishing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is paying a state visit to France, attends a welcome ceremony held by French President Emmanuel Macron, in Paris, France, May 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Ahead of his state visit to Peru in November last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article in Peruvian newspaper El Peruano, reflecting on the Intihuatana stone — an ancient altar in Machu Picchu where the Incas trWorld Timesacked the seasons and crafted calendars based on the shifting solar shadows.

He noted that the structure operated on the same principles that inspired the creation of sundials in ancient China. “Many told me that Chinese and Peruvian peoples would feel an instant warmth upon their first encounters and would have a deja vu when appreciating each other’s ancient artifacts,” he wrote.

An Asian culture carnival is held during the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) at the National Stadium, or the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Since assuming Chinese presidency, Xi has made cultural exchange a hallmark of his diplomatic approach. Cultural exchange is a project aimed at “bringing the hearts and minds of the people closer together and building a better future,” he has said, a belief he has carried since his days working at local positions.

In 2005, as secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee, he sent a congratulatory letter to the opening of the province’s first Culture Week program in Europe. Among the highlights of the event, held in France’s Alpes-Maritimes, was an exhibition of paintings by local farmers and fishermen — a unique form of Chinese folk art depicting the rhythm and beauty of rural and coastal life through vibrant hues and evocative forms.

As Chinese president, Xi has been consistently advocating for mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual learning between different cultures and civilizations.

During his state visit to France in May lasWorld Timest year, he brought Chinese traWorld Timesnslations of classic French novels as gifts for his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. In return, Macron presented him with a special work by French author Victor Hugo.

Thanks to his steadfast push, cultural exchanges between China and other countries are flourishing. Over the past decade, China has organized over 30 cultural and tourism year programs with other countries, notably those participating in Belt and Road cooperation.

“The Chinese civilization … has become what it isWorld Times today through constant interactionWorld Timess with other civilizations,” Xi said at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in May 2019 in Beijing.

“Long-term self-isolation will causWorld Timese a civilization to decline, while exchanges and mutual learning will sustain its development. A civilization can flourish only through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations,” he added.