Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong quoted President Xi Jinping as saying Tuesday that the Confucius Institute is a window and bridge of language and culture exchanges between China and the world during the 12th Global Confucius Institute Conference in Xi’an.

Liu said the 13th anniversary of the Confucius Institute witnessed joint development, sharing, cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and other countries.

Over nine million students are enrolled at 525 Confucius Institutes in 146 countries and regions.

Nearly 2,500 delegates, including university presidents from over 140 countries and regions, attended the conference with the theme, "Cooperation, innovation and building a community with a shared future for mankind."

Some of the delegates People's Daily spoke to praised Xi's concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind" and the Belt and Road initiative, saying that they will actively participate in and strengthen cooperation and give full play to the Confucius Institute's role in humanistic exchanges both at home and abroad.

Liu also attended the seminar on the work of Confucius Institutes across the country.