BEIJING - President Xi Jinping stressed increasing China's "soft power" by promoting exchanges with other cultures, he said in a written instruction to the China International Culture Exchange Center on Wednesday.

Xi encouraged the center, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, to contribute to the promotion of Chinese traditional culture and promote China's exchanges with other cultures as a non-governmental organization.

It is through the contacts with other cultures and learning from them that China can increase its soft power and contribute to world peace, he wrote.

Liu Yunshan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with representatives who attended the celebration ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday.

The major purpose of cultural exchanges with foreign countries is to help people in the rest of the world to better understand China, Liu said.

"We should work to present the world a progressive, inclusive and prosperous China," he said.

Meanwhile, the country needs to learn from all civilizations across the world, he said.

The center, found in 1984, has been an active non-governmental organization in promoting cross-border cultural exchanges. Many renowned scientists, experts of social sciences and artists are its members.