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SCIO briefing on the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations

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Speakers:
Xu Lin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, minister of the State Council Information Office (SCIO), vice president of the CDAC organizing committee and executive committee;

Kong Xuanyou, vice minister of foreign affairs;

Zhang Xu, vice minister of culture and tourism;

Du Feijin, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing Committee, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Committee

Chairperson:
Guo Weimin, vice minister of SCIO

Date:
May 9, 2019

Kyodo News:

Japan and China are two important Asian civilizations. The leaders of the two countries recognize that notable progress has been made in improving bilateral relations over the past few years. In your opinion, how will their relations influence the exchanges among Asian civilizations? And what does China expect Japan to do to maintain the momentum?

Kong Xuanyou:

Mr. Xu just introduced the background and significance of the conference in detail. Focusing on Asia while facing the world, the conference will present the outstanding achievements made by different Asian civilizations, while also showing diversified world civilizations as a whole. These should be the purposes of the conference.

It is obvious that, with two-thirds of the world's population, over 1,000 ethnic groups and a total of 47 countries, Asia has a glorious history of interconnection among different civilizations, including Islam, Christianity, India and China. Therefore, Asia represents a region where different civilizations exist in harmony. And we believe Asia is capable of spearheading the exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.

However, Asia cannot make headway and embrace a promising future without paying due attention to the major trends in global development. Therefore, the conference is designed to be inclusive of civilizations outside Asia and embracing friends from different regions all around the world. Actually, other than the 47 Asian countries, we have invited prestigious scholars and important guests from nearly 50 non-Asian countries to join us in relevant events of literature, arts, think tanks, media and youth work. They come from countries in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Oceania.

China and Japan have a history of more than 2,000 years of friendly exchanges. Jianzhen, an eminent Chinese monk of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) who travelled to Japan to preach Buddhism, and Abe no Nakamaro, a Japanese scholar who studied in China during the Tang Dynasty and subsequently died in the country, are vivid examples of the cultural linking between the two countries. They left much of valuable thought and ideas for both sides, which have been passed down and inherited by numerous generations.

Through the joint efforts of China and Japan, bilateral relations have returned to normal and achieved new development. In the new historical era, exchanges between the two civilizations and mutual learning will be conducive to further tapping the similar genes in regard to our cultural relations, deepening mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the two peoples, and opening up better prospects for further development of bilateral relations.

We sincerely hope that China and Japan will join hands and work together in proposing new ideas for partnership in win-win cooperation, and create a new situation of exchange and mutual learning between Asian and world civilizations. The beneficial explorations and practices of both sides will help further substantiate the connotation of a community with a shared future for mankind. Thank you.