The third annual Taihu World Cultural Forum, to be held at the Shanghai International Convention Center on June 18 through 19, is expected to strengthen China's cultural soft power interaction with the rest of the world, organizers said.

Yan Zhaozhu, chairman of the Taihu World Cultural Forum, said he hopes the event will serve as a vehicle for cross-cultural communication and allow Chinese to "learn more about the world and teach the world about China".

This year's forum has the theme, "Strengthening Cultural Soft Power Interaction, Promoting World Peace and Development", and will mark a significant step forward in China's acknowledgement and development of its role as a global leader, Yan said.

The forum, which was first held in 2008 to improve Chinese culture and facilitate cultural interaction with other countries, has garnered global support and attracted the attention of various world leaders.

Representatives from 20 countries and organizations will be in attendance this year. Vice-Premier Liu Yandong and foreign leaders including Denis Sassou Nguesso, president of the Republic of the Congo; former French Prime Minister France Dominique de Villepin; former Taoiseach of Ireland Bertie Ahern; and President of the 66th UN General Assembly Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, will also take part.

"China's rapid development has created a new set of questions," Yan said, which the forum will seek to answer while improving understanding and trust among all those involved.