Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday to welcome foreign leaders, their spouses and guests attending the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations.

In a speech at the banquet, Xi said the conference aims to build a platform for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations in the context of deepening cooperation across Asia.

"Tomorrow we'll hold the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, at which we'll appreciate the beauty of cultural diversity together and discuss how to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations," he noted.

More than 2,000 government officials and representatives of various circles from 47 Asian countries and other nations outside the region will attend the opening ceremony and forums of the conference.

An Asian cultural carnival, an Asian civilization week, and an Asian food festival will also be held during the event.

Describing Asia as an "important birthplace" of human civilizations, the Chinese president said various Asian civilizations are at present interacting with each other and developing together in an open, inclusive and innovative manner. 

Throughout its uninterrupted history that expands over 5,000 years, the Chinese civilization has always been open, inclusive and innovative in its course of development, Xi told the foreign guests.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago, the country has been promoting exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and other civilizations while protecting and inheriting excellent traditional Chinese culture, he noted.

In this way, China has contributed to the progress of human civilizations, Xi added.

(Cover: Tourists dressed in Tibetan clothing stand in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, October 29, 2017. /VCG Photo)