Xi: Promote the progress of humanity

Tourists visit Badachu Park decorated with red lanterns in Beijing, China. [Photo /Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping called on Monday for implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative, saying that China is ready to work with all parties to carry on the common values of humanity, featuring peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and to jointly promote the progress of human civilization.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a congratulatory message sent to the third Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations and the first World Conference of Sinologists. The dual event opened on Monday in Beijing.

Xi said in the message that throughout the long course of human history, nations from around the world have created civilizations with their own unique characteristics.

Equal exchanges and mutual learning among various civilizations will provide strong spiritual guidance for addressing the challenges of the times and achieving common development for humanity, he said.

Xi called for efforts to let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and inclusiveness transcend feelings of superiority.

He expressed hope that Sinologists from various countries will act as messengers bridging Chinese civilization and the civilizations of the rest of the world, and will strive to promote cultural exchanges and enhance cultural understanding, friendship and cooperation.

The event, with the theme of "implementing the Global Civilization Initiative to create a new vision for modernization," was organized by the Chinese Association for International Understanding.

More than 300 representatives from nearly 80 countries participated in the event, including political leaders, cultural figures and Sinologists. Vice-President Han Zheng also attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

The Global Civilization Initiative, proposed by Xi in March at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, called for respecting the diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

The initiative is widely hailed as another major public good provided to the world by China after the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative, put forward by Xi in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Foreign participants at Monday's event commended the Global Civilization Initiative, saying that it will inject fresh, strong energy into the common development and progress of human society in a world fraught with multiple challenges and crises.

As the world faces mounting challenges, there are more reasons for countries with different cultures to promote dialogue and consultation in order to solve global problems, they said.

Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, executive secretary of the United Hearts Movement party and president of the National Assembly of the Central African Republic, said that in today's world, in which different countries' futures have become increasingly intertwined, it is important to pursue inclusiveness and coexistence of civilizations and promote exchanges and mutual learning.

Alice Lau Kiong Yieng, a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Democratic Action Party and deputy speaker of Malaysia's House of Representatives, described the Global Civilization Initiative as a "visionary project that advances human civilization". She said the initiative identifies the strength of unity in diversity and illuminates the path to the future of mutual respect and understanding.

Colin Patrick Mackerras, a Sinologist and emeritus professor at Griffith University in Australia, criticized some Western countries for preaching that their civilizations are superior to others, and said that various civilizations are equal and should learn from one another.