More exchanges between countries urged

Scholars worldwide called for more mutual learning and exchanges between different cultures in Asia as they echoed President Xi Jinping's appeal to promote mutual respect and equal treatment among civilizations.

Xi stressed in his keynote speech at the opening of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations that the deepening of people-to-people exchanges is an important way to overcome misunderstandings, and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations should be conducted in a reciprocal and equal manner.

His speech was echoed by many scholars at a thematic forum on promoting mutual learning among Asian civilizations and building a community of a shared future for mankind.

"Human history has proved that a civilization can only be full of vitality through mutual learning. There will be no conflict between civilizations as long as we adhere to a spirit of inclusiveness," said Xie Fuzhan, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Xie said Asian nations have become the engine for world economic growth, and the diversified Asian civilizations have formed a tradition of inclusiveness and mutual learning over their long history.

Bundit Limschoon, secretary-general of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, said diversity is a very important element in Asian cultures. "What we try to do in this forum is make the diversified elements of culture complement each other. That's the best way to foster sustainable relationships between all cultures in Asia," Limschoon said.

He added that the Belt and Road Initiative will provide a good platform for the interaction of different cultures, and through the initiative people can learn from each other and open their minds.

Peter Frankopan, a professor of Global History at Oxford University, said on the sidelines of the forum that one of the challenges for Asian peoples is that the continent is a huge region with a massive amount of variety.

"What it actually means to be Asian is in itself a tricky question. What is it that someone in East China has in common with someone in the Middle East, in Southeast Asia? But I think a good starting point is to talk in terms of equality. I think in the world at the moment it's more useful for different countries to try to work out how to work together," Frankopan said.