H.E. Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong published the Fifth in a series of signed articles titled “Blooms Together Make a Thriving Garden and the Spring”, in the English-language mainstream media Daily News. Full text is as follows:
On March 15th, 2023, at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting, General Secretary and President Xi Jinping for the first time proposed the Global civilisation Initiative with four “advocates”, namely, to advocate respect for the diversity of world civilisations, to advocate the common values of humanity, to advocate the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilisations, and to advocate robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
The aim of the Initiative is to promote mutual understanding, respect and cooperation between civilisations.
A civilisation embodies the wisdom and vision of a country or nation. It is the foundation for the country and nation being independent and standing long in world history. Since time immemorial, different nations and countries have developed civilisations rooted in their unique environments. Each one of them is continuing the nation and the country’s wisdom and vision, and is valuable for being uniquely its own. They together make a colorful thriving garden of civilisations.
In today’s world, there are 8 billion people, more than 200 countries and regions, more than 2,500 ethnic groups, over 5,000 languages, and multiple religions. Different cultures, races, skin colors, religions and social systems coexist together. This diversity not only help make a colorful world, but also help make an advancing human society of vitality.
Communication and mutual learning among civilisations are essential for their development, and help build a strong friendship among people of all countries. As pointed out by President Xi Jinping, “There is no perfect civilisation in the world, there is no civilisation that has nothing for others to learn, and there is no civilisation superior to others.” Any civilisation in the world, regardless of its development stage, can only sustain its vitality by communicating with and learning from others. If it is isolated, inevitable is a decline or even a catastrophe. With people-to-people connectivity and inter-civilisation dialogue, understanding among people of all countries can be promoted, gaps will be bridged, and estrangement and hostility will weaken and die. As a result, people identify with each other, and trust and friendship rise. The Global civilisation Initiative is, therefore, in perfect timing with an era when peace, development and collaboration is a trend. As a new view of civilisation, it leads humanity to further progress.
In today’s world where connectivity is a norm, no country can progress alone and achieve prosperity. Exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations should thus be fostered. To do so, we need to develop the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, we need to give up bloc-building and zero-sum game mentality, we need to embrace the idea of the global community as a big family and the idea of win-win cooperation, we need to dismiss ideology disputes and civilisation conflicts, and we need to respect every country for their choice of how the country is developing. It should be realized that diversity and inclusiveness is always the force driving human society to advance.
China and Sri Lanka are both ancient civilisations in Asia, which have engaged in cultural exchanges for centuries. We are true friends and good partners who are trustworthy to each other, as we have established a close connection via Buddhism and mutual understanding. By implementing the Global civilisation Initiative, dissemination and influence of our civilisations will be stronger and stronger. And as two civilisations that advocate inclusion and diversity, our insistence on a partnership based on mutual benefit and cooperation will also add an assuring factor to world peace, stability, and prosperity.