In a world of increasing conflicts, people-to-people exchanges are becoming even more important as the cornerstone of bilateral relations. Cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration are key to navigating cultural differences and containing geopolitical tensions. Chinese culture is one example which has been studied by people all over the world and has helped serve as a bridge between China and other countries. How can China create deeper and more substantive people-to-people exchanges to help mitigate concerns and boost good relations? To take a closer look, we are jointed by German sinologist Prof. Hans van Ess, who is also the vice-president for research at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich).