On July 13th, 2017, Tunisian Ambassador H.E Dhia Khaled paid a visit to China World Peace Foundation and Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation. In their meeting, both Ambassador Khaled and President Li put forward many constructive ideas on how to strengthen economic and socio-cultural cooperation between the two countries. Highly praising the exemplary role set by such distinguished figures as the great Tunisian philosopher Ibn Khaldun and the poet Aboul-Qacem Echebbi, both sides hoped to integrate the time-honored history, culture, literature and arts from both nations into the strategic interactions under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Dr. Li introduced his counterpart the nine sectors of an interactive cultural atlas of cultural interactions, a project co-sponsored by China World Peace Foundation and UNESCO. The nine sectors include Science, Technology and Know-how, Pharmacology and Medicine, Costumes and Clothing, Religion and Spirituality, Mythology and Fantasy, Languages and Literature, Arts and Music, Rituals and Celebrations, Food and Gastronomy. Dr. Li expressed the wish to cooperate with the Ambassador on some practical and feasible programs and co-establish a new China-Tunisia friendship organization as an effort to further promote bilateral and multilateral amity through the cooperative projects under the BRI.

Dr. Li also made a recommendation of World Historic and Cultural Canal Cities Cooperation Organization (WCCO) to the Ambassador, and he hoped to build sister cities to enhance the cooperation between the think-tanks and media agencies of the two countries in people-to-people contacts, intangible heritage protection and canal culture preservation. 

While reviewing his first meeting with Dr. Li when he just arrived in China to assume the position as Tunisian ambassador, H.E Khaled talked about how to invigorate Tunisian tourism by providing visa-free services to Chinese tourists. Currently, 10,000 visits are made my Chinese tourists, a jump from the previous 6,000. It is believed that the prospective will become brighter in the future.

At the end of the meeting, H.E Khaled wrote the following words: My sincere hope for more peace in all around the world.