Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang encouraged young students to act as bridges for China-France communication at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (CIUP) on Thursday when he inaugurated the China House, a building for accommodating overseas students.

Qin said CIUP was founded to promote world peace by encouraging exchanges between young people from different countries and it has become an epitome of a diverse world. After the China House comes into use, it will add more vitality to the culturally diverse university city.

"At a time when the future and destiny of all countries are closely linked, only when different cultures and civilizations coexist inclusively can the international society achieve genuine peaceful development," Qin said, adding that China has proposed the Global Civilization Initiative and one of its most important contents is respecting the diversity of world civilizations.

He told students at CIUP that young people are strong forces for people-to-people exchanges. Chinese students should bear in mind the motherland and the world, present a good image of China and pass on the China-France friendship. And French students need to learn the Chinese language and culture and contribute more to the development of the China-France relationship, Qin said.

The China House was built to meet an ever-increasing need for student housing in Paris. At the crossroads of two cultures, the building offers about 300 single rooms and a 500-person cultural activity hall, according to the design team. The architecture combines French and Chinese cultures with a contemporary interpretation free of pastiche. It is named "He Yuan, "which means a building filled with peace and harmony.