BERLIN, March 29 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Saturday called on China and Germany to expand cultural exchanges to promote mutual understanding.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with German sinologists, teachers from Confucius Institutes and German students studying Chinese.

The Chinese leader thanked the participants for their unremitting efforts for and contribution to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Germany.

"Communication between peoples and cooperation between countries are very important" under the current global circumstances, said Xi.

Language is an important tool for communication, and the mastery of a foreign language helps a person appreciate the differences in different cultures, look at the world in a more objective and rational way, and cultivate tolerance and amity towards other countries, he said.

Xi said the prejudices against or misunderstandings of China, if there are any, will eventually disappear so long as the Chinese people and people from other countries continuously expand exchanges.

Noting the fact that Germany has boasted of a great number of writers, philosophers, scientists and artists throughout history, Xi said "China thinks highly of the German culture."

He expressed the hope that the young people from China and Germany can strengthen exchanges, and carry on the existing friendship between the two countries to the next generation.

The Germany sinologists, in fluent Chinese, briefed Xi on the achievements they have made in their exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side.

They also offered advice on how China can better share its ancient and modern cultural traditions with the world in a bid to promote other nations' understanding of China.