President Xi Jinping on Friday called on foreign participants in an international conference to help enhance mutual understanding between China and the outside world.

He made the remark when meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with foreign guests who will attend this year's Understanding China Conference in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Xi said he hopes they will help strengthen exchanges with China and truly understand the country.

This year's meeting, with the theme of "New Globalization and China's New Round of Reform and Opening-Up" started in Guangzhou on Friday and will last through Sunday.

The conference comes a year after Xi, while visiting Guangdong, said that the path of reform and opening-up should be followed with determination in a deeper and broader way despite the profound changes at home and abroad.

More than 30 prominent politicians, strategists, academic experts and business leaders from around the world were set to attend the conference in Guangzhou.

The Understanding China Conference has been held three times, in 2013, 2015 and 2018, and has become one of the most influential events to help the world understand China's development strategies.

The conference includes 10 parallel seminars.