Second press conference on the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War

Guangming Daily:

In recent years, ideas such as the "clash of civilizations" and "civilizational supremacy" have resurfaced, making the conflicts and challenges facing human civilization's development increasingly complex. Could you please elaborate on China's views and propositions regarding the elimination of civilizational divides and the promotion of mutual learning and exchanges among civilizations? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

In 2023, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative. It emphasizes jointly advocating respect for the diversity of world civilizations, promoting the shared values of humanity, valuing civilizational inheritance and innovation, and strengthening international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. The initiative has provided important guidance for promoting civilizational exchanges and mutual learning and serves as a fundamental principle for promoting friendship among the peoples of all countries.

The Global Civilization Initiative is increasingly becoming a global consensus, having been incorporated into multiple U.N. resolutions as well as various bilateral and multilateral documents. In 2024, the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution designating June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. On July 10 this year, the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting convened in Beijing. President Xi Jinping addressed the meeting through a congratulatory letter, offering guidance for dialogue and exchanges among different civilizations. Since President Xi Jinping put forward the "50,000 in Five Years" initiative in 2023, more than 30,000 American teenagers have visited China, formed friendships with their Chinese peers, and gained a real understanding of the country. China has implemented unilateral visa-free or comprehensive mutual visa exemption for citizens of 75 countries, as well as transit visa exemption for 55 countries, making travel to China increasingly popular. Cultural products like "Black Myth: Wukong," "Ne Zha 2" and Labubu have gained global popularity, continuing the inspiring story of exchanges and mutual learning between China and the world.

Each civilization is rooted in its own soil, embodying the extraordinary wisdom and spiritual pursuits of a nation or people, and possesses its own inherent value. Humanity differs only in skin color and language; no civilization is superior or inferior to any other. As human society has entered the 21st century, advocating or even instigating clashes of civilizations represents a regression of history. 

China stands ready to work with all countries to uphold the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and make greater contributions to the progress of human civilization. Thank you.