As countries around the world face common challenges in their pursuit of peace and development, and in their quest for modernization, the call for solidarity, cooperation and dialogue grows stronger than ever. However, deep-seated issues such as distrust, division and confrontation continue to block international cooperation.

Therefore, it is necessary to intensify exchanges between civilizations in order to achieve closer interpersonal communication. The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), proposed by President Xi Jinping in his speech “Join Hands on the Path to Modernization” at the Communist Party of China (CPC) High-Level Meeting in Dialogue with Global Political Parties on March 15, is a sincere appeal into the world for exchange and dialogue between civilizations for the development of human civilizations through integration and mutual learning. This is another attempt to take Chinese wisdom and solutions to promote international cooperation to the next level.

The GCI is a timely response to the urgent call from peoples around the world for greater solidarity and cooperation to tackle common challenges together. In today’s world, numerous challenges and crises are intertwined. The global economic recovery remains sluggish, the development gap widens, the ecological environment deteriorates and the Cold War mentality persists. The process of modernising humanity has once again reached a crossroads in history.

To meet our common challenges, we need material means to overcome difficulties and cultural and ethical resources to grow in strength. As the future of all countries is closely linked, Xi noted that tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing the process of modernising humankind and creating the Garden of Civilizations of the World to bring to bloom.

The GCI’s proposal conveys China’s sincere desire to work with all countries to achieve modernization with the distinctive characteristics of each country, and inter-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning to promote the progress of human civilizations.

This shows China’s political courage and sense of responsibility to rise to the common challenges facing humanity, and share its solutions to advancing global modernisation and progress of human civilizations. Xi, who is also the CPC General Secretary, said that as the future of all countries are closely connected, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernisation process and making the garden of world civilizations flourish.

China advocates the respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance, innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. The country is ready to work together with the international community to open up a new prospect of enhanced exchanges and understanding among different peoples and better interactions and integration of diversified cultures. This will make the garden of world civilizations colorful and vibrant.

The GCI is a serious response to countries’ collective efforts to defend the equality, inclusion and diversity of the world’s civilizations. Just as no country is superior to the others, there is no inferior or superior civilization. Since ancient times, people from different regions have developed a variety of great civilizations in the course of production and exploitation and transformation of nature. They have pursued common human values ​​and the goals of peace, development, justice, democracy and freedom, and promoted the progress of human society. No value should be above other values.

Modernization and civilization can be achieved and advanced through more than one model. The illusion of an imagined “universal civilization” will easily crumble. Drawing lines along ideologies and values ​​and creating divisions and confrontations will only bring disastrous results in the world and taint civilizations.

President Xi has declared the importance of diversity for human civilization on several occasions. He stressed that the GCI’s primary concern is respect for the diversity of civilizations, and that countries should be open-minded in appreciating the values ​​of different civilizations and refrain from imposing their own values ​​or models on others to avoid ideological confrontation. This demonstrates China’s inclusive vision of jointly promoting cooperation between civilizations with all countries to prosper each other and together.

From the GDI and the GSI to the GCI, China has always been a force for world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order, and promoter of progress of human civilizations. The country remains committed to its mission of seeking progress for humanity and harmony for the entire world.

On the journey ahead, Chinese modernisation, as a new form of human advancement, will draw upon the merits of other civilizations and make the garden of world civilizations more vibrant.

When China and the rest of the world join hands on the path towards modernisation in the new era, it will surely make new and greater contribution to promoting peace and development, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.