WASHINGTON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Christians will play a positive role in helping China realize its goal of building a harmonious society, a visiting Chinese Christian leader said here Thursday.

    "The essence of Christianity is harmony and peace, and it accords with the national goal of achieving harmony in society," said Reverend Cao Shengjie, president of the China Christian Council, during a meeting with Bates Gill, who holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

    The Chinese Christian community would work closely with other religions in China to contribute to the task of building a harmonious society, to enhance inter-religion dialogue and to help promote social stability, ethnic solidarity and public well-being, said the reverend.

    Cao said the Chinese churches were widely involved in activities to promote social harmony, such as the training of social volunteers and educating people about how to prevent HIV infection.

    Now Chinese churches have developed well following the "Three Self" principles, namely, self-governance, self-support and self-propagation, said the reverend.

    Cao expressed hope that through more communication and exchanges, people overseas would get a better understanding of the religious situation in China, which was the main purpose of her visit.

    Cao and her entourage began their visit to the United States on April 7. They stopped in Hawaii, New York and Washington DC for talks with a wide range of political, academic and religious figures.