BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Khaled El-Enany, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in Beijing on Tuesday.

Xi emphasized that UNESCO has made important contributions to greater understanding and trust among peoples and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and played a proactive role in reforming and improving global governance on education, science and culture.

China actively supports the work of UNESCO, and the two sides have done many things for safeguarding world peace and promoting global development, Xi said, expressing China's readiness to deepen strategic cooperation with UNESCO to better benefit people of all countries.

Xi said global governance has come to a new fork in the road, underlining that China is committed to practicing true multilateralism, supports and upholds the authority of the United Nations, and supports UNESCO in playing an important role in global governance.

China is ready to work with UNESCO to implement the four global initiatives, enable people of all countries to share in the progress in education, science and culture, better respond to the common challenges facing human society, and jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.

Xi called on the two sides to deepen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), open science and digital education, advocate respect for the diversity of civilizations, promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, strengthen cooperation with the Global South countries, and promote cultural heritage preservation and cultural exchanges and mutual learning.

El-Enany said he hopes to bring all member states together, promote dialogue, cooperation, mutual understanding and mutual learning among cultures.

Expressing his thanks to China for the long-term, strong support to UNESCO, El-Enany said UNESCO looks forward to strengthening coordination with China to improve global educational and cultural development, promote exchanges in science and technology, deepen cooperation on AI, jointly implement the four global initiatives, and bring greater benefits to humanity.