Chinese President Hu Jintao and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Friday attended the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Chinese Culture Center in Berlin.

Speaking at the ceremony, Hu said that cultural exchange is an important content of Sino-German relations and has reached a new level in recent years.

He expressed the hope that the Chinese Culture Center in Berlin will become a new link between the Chinese and German peoples and contribute to promoting their mutual understanding and friendship.

Schroeder recalled his impression during his visits in recent years to China, saying that China's development and vitality originate from its rich cultural heritage.

Both Germany and China are countries with great cultures and can make contributions to solving conflicts through peaceful means, he said.

The Chinese culture center is located in the down Tiergarten area of Berlin and its construction will be completed by the end of 2007. It will offer a variety of activities, such as film screening, forums and training classes on Chinese culture.

President Hu arrived here Thursday for a state visit to Germany after a three-day tour in Britain. He will also visit Spain and South Korea, where he is to attend the Nov. 18-19 economic leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2005)