Beijing, Jul 10 (PTI) China on Thursday announced plans to set up a Global Civilisational Institute and carry out 50 projects with partner countries for the restoration of relics and maintenance of museums as part of its soft power push.

The new initiatives were announced on the opening day of a two-day Global Civilisations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting here, aimed at boosting President Xi Jinping's Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI) to promote intra-civilisational exchanges.

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The meeting is attended by 600 guests from 140 countries and regions, according to organisers.

The GCI, the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI) were proposed by President Xi two years ago, adding to his multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance Beijing's influence in the Global South.

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In his inaugural address, Cai Qi, a close associate of Xi and a member of the Standing Committee of the ruling Communist Party, said that China would set up a Global Civilisational institute for joint research and intra-civilisational exchanges and development models.

In the next five years, China will carry out 50 projects in coordination with global partners, especially the developing countries, on cultural relics restoration, museums and cultural centres, he said.

China will support cultural cooperation programmes through south-south cooperation fund and other channels, he said.

In his message to the conference, Xi said China will work with other countries to champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and implement the GCI in a bid to provide fresh impetus for advancing human civilizations and promoting world peace and development.

Participants will explore the role of inter-civilisation exchange and mutual learning in building an inclusive world and promoting global development and prosperity, cultural inheritance during the two-day event themed "Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development", according to the organisers.

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