Chinese vice-president calls for enhanced exchanges, cooperation among civilizations

BEIJING -- Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on Friday urged respect for the diversity of civilizations and called for enhanced exchanges and cooperation among civilizations.

Han made the remarks while addressing the seventh annual conference of the Taihu World Cultural Forum, which was held in Beijing.

He said that with the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, China has held high the banner of multilateralism over the past decade, adhered to extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and blazed a path of communication and mutual learning among civilizations.

In a world where the future and destiny of all countries are closely linked, exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations have increasingly become a bridge of friendship between the people of different countries, a driving force for human progress and a bond for world peace, Han said.

He also put forward four proposals.

First, he said the diversity of civilizations should be respected, calling for upholding equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations.

Second, he called for promoting the common values of the world, noting that it is necessary to understand how different civilizations see the connotations of values and avoid imposing one's own values and models on others.

Third, he advocated for the promotion of cultural inheritance and innovation, and said that Chinese modernization is a result of the renewal of civilization.

Fourth, he urged exchanges and cooperation among civilizations, noting that it is necessary to create more opportunities and improve conditions to strengthen international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and to help build consensus among the people of all countries to the greatest possible extent.

Themed "Mutual Learning Among Civilizations: Jointly Creating a New Model for Human Progress," the annual conference aims to promote cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries, and mutual learning among different civilizations. Nearly 1,000 dignitaries, experts, scholars and representatives of international organizations, among others, attended the conference.