East Asia sets example in cultural exchange
- By Zhang Liying
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 17, 2019
In promoting interaction, dialogue and harmony among civilizations, East Asia is setting an example for other parts of the world, a South Korean expert said in an exclusive interview with China.org.cn on the sidelines of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) in Beijing on May 15, 2019.
Kim Sang Soon, chairman of the Institute for East Asia Peace Studies, said that East Asian countries, over the past few decades, have actively engaged in inter-civilizational dialogue in the form of economic cooperation and cultural exchanges.
In 1993, American political scientist Samuel Phillips Huntington published an article titled "The Clash of Civilizations?" in Foreign Affairs, arguing that cultural and civilizational differences are the primary source of conflicts in the post-Cold War world.
Kim said he disagrees with the "clash of civilizations" thesis, holding that different civilizations are not inevitably prone to clashes, but rather can interact with each other in harmonious co-existence and common development.
He said that like other regions in the world, there are also some economic and political conflicts in East Asia, but these can be settled through continuing dialogue.
Kim said that the CDAC offers a great platform for civilizations in Asia to enhance exchanges and mutual learning.
A better life for all the people on the continent represents a common goal for Asian countries, he said. "To achieve the goal, we need innovative thinking such as the vision of building a community with a shared future for Asians."
Inter-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning can help Asian people increase self-respect and confidence in their civilizations, thus giving new impetus to turn the longing for a better life into reality, Kim said.
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