Chinese envoy calls for respect for diversity of civilizations

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Wednesday called for respecting the diversity of human civilizations, as diversity is a fundamental feature of the world and the source of human progress, he said.

"Believing that one's own civilization is superior to others and insisting on transforming or even replacing other civilizations is both foolish in understanding and disastrous in practice," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, told the UN Security Council during a meeting on "The Values of Human Fraternity in Promoting and Sustaining Peace".

"Civilizations are differentiated solely by characteristic regions, without any distinction between high and low," he said.

Zhang pointed out that throughout history, driven by theories of "civilizational superiority" and "white supremacy", colonial conquest and plunder have "caused unprecedented havoc in Asia, Africa, and Latin America".

"Today, interference, provocation and incitement under the guise of 'universal values' are creating new conflicts and confrontations," he continued.

"China maintains that in an interdependent world, we should not only take pride in making our own civilization vibrant but also demonstrate tolerance for the development of other civilizations," Zhang said, adding that the world should possess the vision to promote exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.

Zhang emphasized that enhancing mutual trust among countries is of utmost importance.

"It is imperative that we adopt a clear-cut stance against interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, stirring up tensions for personal gain, utilizing ideological divisions for bloc politics, and practicing hegemony and bullying in international relations," Zhang said.

Zhang also called for promoting social inclusion, as it is "not only tied to individual well-being and rights but also influences a country's foreign policy orientation".

"Some countries face prominent challenges of social division and political polarization, which not only impact their own stability and development but also contribute to conservative and populist foreign policies, resulting in significant negative spillover effects," said Zhang.

He said it is crucial for relevant countries to "engage in deep reflection and earnestly address chronic issues in national governance, rather than shifting blame or seeking scapegoats".

Political leaders, Zhang said, must "assume historical responsibilities, foster social consensus, actively promote reforms, and resist succumbing to populist trends".

Zhang said that the proliferation of hate speech intensifies social divisions. He said that extremism is widespread, false information goes unchecked, religious intolerance persists, racial discrimination against Africans and Asians persists, and human rights violations are increasing. The alarming rise of Islamophobia demands our attention and vigilance, he added.

"While it is essential to protect freedom of speech, it should not serve as a shield for hate speech nor an excuse for governmental inaction. Terrorism, as a cancer of human civilization, should not be linked to any specific nation, religion, country, or civilization," Zhang emphasized.

The envoy said the vulnerability of developing countries stems from the "unjust and irrational international economic order".

"Some countries, in order to maintain their dominant position, engage in technological blockades, impose indiscriminate economic sanctions, advocate decoupling, and construct barriers around their own interests," said Zhang, adding that such actions "impede development and regress the wheel of history (and) are both immoral and unsustainable".

"The international community should firmly resist them," he said.

The UN development system should genuinely consider the needs of developing countries and become a true partner to them, the envoy said.

"Developed countries must honor their official aid commitments, and international financial institutions should promptly undertake necessary reforms to rectify moral deficits, thereby avoiding becoming mere instruments of control for a specific country," he said.

He called for respecting the development rights of developing countries, opposing all forms of technological suppression and economic coercion, and upholding fairness and justice.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for "human fraternity, mutual respect and understanding" at the meeting.

Unverified assertions and lies are given credibility and promoted by some political leaders, undermining the value of facts and science, he said.

"We need to ensure that every community feels respected in their unique identity while feeling valued as an integral part of society as a whole. We need to recognize diversity as a richness of all societies — not a threat," Guterres said.

"We must strengthen the values of compassion, respect and human fraternity and secure free and safe civic spaces," he said.