Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited exhibitions of relics and research results and attended a symposium with experts, scholars and representatives from cultural units in the Dunhuang Academy in Dunhuang during his inspection tour of northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 19, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

LANZHOU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has called for well preserving the quintessence of Chinese culture.

Xi made the remarks on Monday at a symposium at Dunhuang Academy with relevant experts, scholars and representatives from cultural units, during his inspection tour of northwest China's Gansu Province.

Xi stressed the need to help carry forward and promote traditional culture.

He also called for more efforts in cultural exchanges with other countries and learning from the outstanding achievements of civilizations from around the world.

During the inspection tour on Monday, Xi visited the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, a key cultural heritage site under state-level protection.

Dunhuang culture shows the Chinese nation's confidence in its culture, Xi said. "Only a self-confident civilization can absorb and draw on the achievements of other civilizations while maintaining its own characteristics."

Xi also encouraged workers in the cultural sector to well tell the stories of Dunhuang and China.

During his visit to the Mogao Grottoes, Xi talked with tourists there and wished them a pleasant journey.

Dunhuang is home to the Mogao Grottoes, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting rich collections of Buddhist artwork -- more than 2,000 colored sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals -- in 735 caves along a cliff.

The Mogao Grottoes, first constructed in 366 A.D., symbolizes the great achievements of China's Buddhist art from the 4th century to the 14th century. It showcases the cultural integration and mutual learning among the diverse civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.