Before he even came to Beijing in 2001 as the German ambassador to China, Joachim Broudré-Gröger visited Guangzhou in the 1970s. 

At that time, what impressed him the most were the crowds of bicycles running down the streets of Guangzhou.

Decades later, bicycles of different colors have reappeared on the streets of Chinese cities, as the sharing economy has boomed.

So here's my interview with the ambassador.

"The change of a culture is also a changing color. So it's colorful, society must be colorful," said Broudré-Gröger. Compared to the past, what has changed is not only the color of the bikes, but also people's mindsets – in Berlin and in Beijing alike.

Owning a private car is no longer a problem, yet people have returned to bikes, in the hope of reducing carbon emissions and to work out.

Recalling the three years he spent in China, Broudré-Gröger said he loved going to the museums, galleries and theaters, to get closer to promising young artists.

In fact, it was his acquaintance with a young Chinese lady in Spain that got him interested in the Chinese language and culture. The young lady, Sanmao, later became a famous Chinese writer and continues to influence younger generations with her language and stories.

Culture is not just a topping on the cake, the former ambassador said. 

"Culture is really what keeps societies running eternally and also globally," said Broudré-Gröger, noting that most of the misunderstandings between countries could be attributed to misunderstandings of different cultures, and solved by better communication.

"I cannot imagine that only economic relations could govern our relations. That will be like a dead, concrete desert," he said. "Cultures are the flowers, cultures are the dreams, and cultures are what you have to strive for. All other things are just figures."

Broudré-Gröger is a strong supporter of cultural exchanges between China and Germany, especially for young people.

"If you want to have a big tree, you should put a lot of water to the seedling," he said. People living in today's world are lucky, as there are much more frequent exchanges between different cultures and countries, he added.

Speaking of future communications, Broudré-Gröger said he expected more cooperation, noting that he was a little disappointed that Chinese is not yet systematically taught in Germany's schools.

"The language is what takes the longest to learn," he said with a smile. "Especially a language that has a little complication because of the characters for non-Chinese."

Cultures add color to the dream of individuals and of the world, and bring people together. In today's world, other countries are not that distant anymore. 

"It's only a small globe, and only astronauts can get away from it," Broudré-Gröger said, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of having a global vision.

Having been away from China for 15 years, Broudré-Gröger said he is planning a trip back next year, to see what has happened in the intervening time and how China has changed.

"What my friends say, what I saw in TV, what I read suggested that you have stepped into a really new century," he said. He is now curious to see a more developed, more open China, a country that is more involved in the world, and ready to shoulder more responsibilities.

Reporter: Ai Yan

Videographer: Ai Yan

Video editor: Ge Kai, Zhang Chunnan

Graphic designer: Gao Hongmei