President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of music and culture in building bridges and encouraged artists in China and the United States to contribute to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries by conducting closer communication and cooperation.

Xi made the remarks in a recent reply letter published on Friday to Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The orchestra is currently paying a visit to China to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its historic visit to the country in 1973, a year following former US president Richard Nixon's visit to China that normalized relations between Beijing and Washington.

Xi said he was glad to learn that the orchestra is making its 13th visit to China and giving a series of performances with Chinese partners, which he believes will continue the musical friendship between the people of China and the US over the past half century.

The orchestra's "ice-breaking visit" 50 years ago marked a significant moment in the normalization of Sino-US relations, he said, adding that the musical group has played a positive role in promoting bilateral ties through numerous visits to China since then.

Half a century on, Xi said he believes that the performance jointly conducted by the Philadelphia Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra and singers from different countries, will undoubtedly be recorded as a precious story in history.

The Chinese president emphasized that music transcends borders and culture builds bridges.

It is hoped that the Philadelphia Orchestra, along with artists from countries including China and the US, will be committed to mutual respect, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness, thus fostering a new chapter of friendship between China, the US and the world at large, Xi said.

The Philadelphia Orchestra was the first US orchestra to visit China since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, with its most recent visit taking place in 2019. Tarnopolsky recently wrote to Xi to review the history of the orchestra's exchanges with China and introduced the itinerary of their latest trip.

Speaking at an event in Beijing on Wednesday, Tarnopolsky said that it is the collaboration between the US and Chinese partners that made the current trip possible. "We are here because we believe deeply that music can express thoughts and ideas that the words alone cannot convey."

Davyd Booth is one of the 14 members taking part in the current visit. The 73-year-old violinist was also among members of the 1973 trip which helped demystify China in the US, with the phenomenon working in reverse as well.

"I never dreamed at that time how important that trip was and as to what influence it would have on my life," Booth said. "I now sometimes liken it to planting a seed, we see that seed germinate and grow into a lush, lush vegetation."