Quotable quotes on China's major-country diplomacy: Dialogue between cultures

Editor's Note: China is rolling out a major documentary series on its diplomatic principles, practices and achievements over the past five years. The English-language version of the program is now also available on TV and online. To help audience better understand Chinese diplomacy, Xinhua is releasing a variety of reports that include anecdotes, quotable quotes, facts and figures.

BEIJING - The following is a selection of remarks on cultural exchanges made by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

"Tang Xianzu was a contemporary of William Shakespeare. China and Britain could jointly commemorate the legacy of the two literary masters to promote people-to-people exchanges and deepen mutual understanding. " (Excerpts from Xi's speech at a dinner hosted by Lord Mayor of the City of London on Oct.21, 2015.)

"China will take the 2022 Olympics as an opportunity to facilitate the nation's competitive sports and mass sports, so as to improve the health of all Chinese people, one of the goals of an overall well-off society that China has been pursuing." (Excerpts from Xi's remarks during a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach at the International Olympic Museum in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Jan. 18, 2017.)

"He (Xi) has a clear vision about the important role of sport in society and a clear vision for the importance of sport in education for young people," said Bach. (Remarks of IOC President Thomas Bach on Xi's visit to the IOC headquarters in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Jan. 18, 2017.)

"Friendship, which derives from close contacts between people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. Personal contacts are the most effective way to promote friendship between countries. Through cultural dialogues and exchanges, we see the good in others and encourage the harmonious coexistence of the best in us all." (Excerpts from Xi's remarks during the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, China on Sept. 4, 2016)