On March 15th, Chinese president Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting and delivered a keynote address called “Join Hands on the Path Toward Modernization”. President Xi expounded China’s understanding of the exploration of modernization and proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocates the respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
The Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping not only complements the concept of Chinese modernization, but also provides a Chinese solution to answer the question of modernization, promote the process of world modernization, and facilitate the progress of human civilization. This initiative also expresses China’s sincere wish to work with other countries to advance the modernization with national characteristics, promote the exchange and mutual appreciation of global civilizations, and build a community with a shared future for mankind.
President Xi Jinping pointed out: “Around the world, countries and regions have chosen different paths to modernization, which are rooted in their unique and long civilizations. All civilizations created by human society are splendid. They are where each country’s modernization drive draws its strength and where its unique feature comes from. They, transcending time and space, have jointly made important contribution to humanity’s modernization process.”
The reason why Chinese modernization works is that it is based on Chinese civilization, rooted in Chinese culture and in line with Chinese national conditions. Therefore, China also encourages and supports Afghanistan’s development along its own trajectory and logic, and sincerely helps the Afghan people explore a modernization path that is in line with their own situation.
China is willing to work with Afghanistan to mutual respect for the diversity of civilizations. Both China and Afghanistan have suffered from wars, exploitation and plunders in history, both have painful memories of civilizations at risk, and both face the daunting challenge of modernization today. Nowadays, China is following the path of Chinese modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the nation, and Afghanistan is also working for national unity and economic development. In bilateral exchanges, China always respects Afghanistan’s religious beliefs and ethnic customs, supports Afghanistan’s right to independent development, and never ever interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. On international platforms, China has always stood up for Afghanistan and resolutely opposed extraterritorial powers stoking ideological confrontation, and imposing their own values or models on the Afghan people. China is willing to work with the Afghan side on the basis of mutual respect, to jointly promote the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom of humanity, to understand their values with a broad mind and contribute to bilateral relations with civilization consensus.
China is willing to work with Afghanistan to achieve civilization transmission and innovation. China and Afghanistan have a long and splendid civilization, and enduring friendship. In the new era, China and Afghanistan should jointly harness the relevance of their histories and cultures to the present times, and push for creative transformation and innovative development of their fine traditional cultures. With the deepening of bilateral relations between China and Afghanistan, more and more Chinese enterprises have come to Afghanistan for investment. During this process, China is willing to work with the Afghan side to jointly guide the companies to strengthen cooperation, fulfill social responsibility, improve people’s livelihood and protect the historical and cultural heritage of the Afghanistan. China is committed to following a balanced development path of economic interests and civilization protection, and making positive contributions to the continuation and promotion of civilization in Afghanistan.
China is willing to work with Afghanistan to strengthen personnel and cultural exchanges and cooperation. In the history of the Silk Road for more than 2,000 years, the cultural blending and civilization exchanges between China and Afghanistan are alive and well. The cultural landscapes, civilization heritage and many ancient relics in Afghanistan are the testimony of the friendship between the two countries, as well as the common spiritual wealth of the two peoples. For a long time, people in various fields such as economy, trade, education and culture have played an important role in promoting personnel and cultural exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries. China would like to continue the thousand-year friendship, continue to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan in various fields, organize various professional and technical training courses to train more talents for the future development of Afghanistan. So that they can become an important force for the development and revitalization of Afghanistan, and jointly promote the development and progress of human civilization.
President Xi Jinping emphasized: “A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden. As the future of all countries are closely connected, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges, and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernization process and making the garden of world civilizations flourish.” China will continue to advocate the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations, and demonstrate China’s role as a responsible power working to promote peaceful development in the world. China is ready to work together with the Afghan side to promote the Global Civilization Initiative, open up a new prospect of enhanced exchanges and understanding among different peoples and better interactions and integration of diversified cultures, and jointly paint a new picture of the modernization of human society!