China's top diplomat calls for advancing dialogue among civilizations

BEIJING -- China proposes to advance dialogue among civilizations through safeguarding equity, facilitating exchanges and promoting progress, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made these remarks in a video message to an event observing the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

"The establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations by the UN responds to the shared aspirations of people worldwide to advance dialogue among civilizations and promote human progress, earning the unanimous support of all member states," Wang said, adding that the value of civilizations has become more salient than ever when facing profound transformations unseen in a century and immense challenges.

President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocates promoting the common values of humanity, prioritizing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and enhancing international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, Wang said, noting that this represents China's significant effort to promote dialogue among civilizations.

Wang highlighted that China proposes a three-pronged approach to promoting dialogue among civilizations.

"First, we should safeguard equity among civilizations," Wang said, calling for respecting every nation's right to independently choose its development path and social system.

He called for rejection of a clash of civilizations, interference in internal affairs and unilateralism and bullying -- and for promoting shared dignity and equality instead.

"Second, we should facilitate exchanges among civilizations," Wang said, calling for drawing wisdom from dialogue among civilizations to address global challenges and broaden the pathways to world modernization. Wang said that China is actively considering hosting the 2028 United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Global Forum.

"Third, we should promote progress of civilizations," Wang said, calling for facilitating the flow of ideas, technologies and people. Wang also emphasized leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in inheritance and innovation of civilizations to continuously enrich shared material and spiritual wealth.

In 2024, the 78th session of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by China and 82 other countries, designating June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations each year.