Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a congratulatory letter to the 2021 "Belt and Road" Great Wall International Folk Culture and Arts Festival.

The festival opened on Wednesday in Langfang City, north China's Hebei Province, to promote international cultural exchanges and cooperation.

Civilizations have become more colorful through exchanges, Xi stressed. 

"In the eight years since I proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with the joint participation and efforts of all parties, the joint construction of the BRI has achieved positive results," said Xi. 

He added the BRI promotes the well-being of the people as well as the exchange and dialogue of civilizations. 

Xi also noted holding such festivals can promote the cultural heritage of the Silk Road and the Great Wall, provide a stage for folk culture and arts from various countries, build bridges for exchanges and dialogues among peoples, and weave ties for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. 

China upholds the civilizational vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and mutual accommodation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with other countries to jointly build the BRI, strive for harmony but not sameness and make greater contributions to the progress of human civilization.