Tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity's modernization process when the future of all countries are closely connected.

by Xinhua writer Huang Yinjiazi

BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- In the book-lined office of Professor Stelios Virvidakis at the University of Athens, Greece's oldest and most esteemed academic institution, a letter is carefully preserved like a precious, delicate bridge model.

It came from Chinese President Xi Jinping, delivered to congratulate the inauguration of the China-Greece Center for Mutual Learning of Civilizations in the time-honored university in February 2023.

"It was a delightful surprise to us all," said Virvidakis, his philosopher's gaze softening at the memory.

In the letter, Xi noted that over 2,000 years ago, China and Greece, two civilizations glittering at each end of the Eurasian continent, made groundbreaking contributions to the evolution of human civilization.

Now, he pointed out, it is of profound historical and contemporary significance for them to work together to promote exchanges and mutual learning and enhance the development of all civilizations.

The well-preserved letter reflects Xi's broader vision of fostering cross-cultural dialogue and mutual learning as a catalyst for global peace and development, a vision that has been driving his diplomatic action worldwide.

That aspiration is best embodied in his Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), launched at a conference between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and global political parties in 2023, where he stressed that tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity's modernization process when the future of all countries are closely connected.

With the GCI nearing its second anniversary on Saturday, Xi's vision -- to build a world where civilizations don't collide but converse -- has become ever more relevant, standing both as a nod to ancient ties and as a bold stitch in a fraying global tapestry.

NO MATTER EAST OR WEST

"The boy was an avid reader of literature and history, particularly captivated by the poetry of Du Fu," said Chen Qiuying, who taught Xi Chinese in 1965, when Xi was a teenager.

Du, the most revered realist poet of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), was celebrated for his profound empathy and compassion for the common people in his works. This spirit is echoed in Xi's firm commitment to fighting poverty and promoting the wellbeing of the people.

"Xi implored me to recommend more of Du Fu's works," Chen recalled. "He possessed a composed and rational demeanor, immersing himself in extensive reading and profound contemplation."

Four years later, as an educated young student, Xi volunteered to go to Liangjiahe, a secluded and impoverished village nestled in the rugged terrain of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

With him, Xi carried two suitcases filled with books. During his seven years there, Xi devoured whatever books he could find, from ancient Chinese textbooks to foreign novels such as Stendhal's The Red and the Black and Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.

"During those days in Liangjiahe, Xi never ceased reading and reflecting," said Dai Ming, who shared a cave dwelling with Xi back then.

Xi's keen interest in different cultures has since continued unabated, whether as a local official or as the top leader of China. When serving as secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, he invited scholars to deliver lectures on both Chinese and Western philosophies.

In November 2019, during his first state visit to Greece, Xi toured the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the iconic and ancient Acropolis. He took a moment at the sunlit entrance on the museum's third floor, the east and west sides adorned with exquisite pediment sculptures from the Acropolis: the birth of Athena and the fierce contest between her and Poseidon for the title of protector of Athens.

"This is Greece's version of Shan Hai Jing," Xi remarked, alluding to China's own ancient compendium of ancient myths and legends.

"He is not only interested in a single artifact," said Dimitrios Pandermalis, then president of the Acropolis Museum. "He possesses a profound fascination with the civilization of ancient Greece and its history, along with a keen appreciation for ancient Greek art and architecture."

THE POWER OF EXCHANGES

Ahead of his state visit to Peru in November last year, Xi published a signed article in Peruvian newspaper El Peruano, reflecting on the Intihuatana stone -- an ancient altar in Machu Picchu where the Incas tracked the seasons and crafted calendars based on the shifting solar shadows.

He noted that the structure operated on the same principles that inspired the creation of sundials in ancient China. "Many told me that Chinese and Peruvian peoples would feel an instant warmth upon their first encounters and would have a deja vu when appreciating each other's ancient artifacts," he wrote.

Since assuming Chinese presidency, Xi has made cultural exchange a hallmark of his diplomatic approach. Cultural exchange is a project aimed at "bringing the hearts and minds of the people closer together and building a better future," he has said, a belief he has carried since his days working at local positions.

In 2005, as Zhejiang's Party chief, he sent a congratulatory letter to the opening of the province's first Culture Week program in Europe. Among the highlights of the event, held in France's Alpes-Maritimes, was an exhibition of paintings by local farmers and fishermen -- a unique form of Chinese folk art depicting the rhythm and beauty of rural and coastal life through vibrant hues and evocative forms.

As Chinese president, Xi has been consistently advocating for mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual learning between different cultures and civilizations.

During his state visit to France in May last year, he brought Chinese translations of classic French novels as gifts for his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. In return, Macron presented him with a special work by French author Victor Hugo.

Thanks to his steadfast push, cultural exchanges between China and other countries are flourishing. Over the past decade, China has organized over 30 cultural and tourism year programs with other countries, notably those participating in Belt and Road cooperation.

"The Chinese civilization ... has become what it is today through constant interactions with other civilizations," Xi said at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in May 2019 in Beijing.

"Long-term self-isolation will cause a civilization to decline, while exchanges and mutual learning will sustain its development. A civilization can flourish only through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations," he added.

COLORS OF CIVILIZATIONS

In recent years, some scholars and politicians in the West have been peddling once again the clash of civilizations theory, first proposed by American political scientist Samuel Huntington in 1993. They portray some civilizations as superior to others and seek to divide countries through ideological and racial lines.

On the background of the resurgence of such sentiments is a world undergoing unprecedented transformations rarely seen in a century. Global South countries, on a collective rise, are demanding their legitimate right to modernization in louder voices, while the global deficits in peace, security, development and governance are growing ever larger.

In Xi's eyes, no civilization in the world is superior to others, and every civilization is equal and unique. "Civilizations have come in different colors, and such diversity renders exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations relevant and valuable," he said in a speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2014.

Months after he put forward the GCI in 2023, Xi explained at an event in San Francisco that the initiative is meant "to urge the international community to address the imbalance between material and cultural advancement and jointly promote continued progress of human civilization."

China's global initiatives, including the GCI, advocate for an egalitarian and inclusive order in pursuit of just and coherent global governance, said Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific and a former transport minister of Malaysia.

In the meantime, he said, "the GCI has driven home a clear message that all nations have the right to choose their own development paths in their pursuit of modernization, which is not necessarily synonymous with Westernization."

In September 2024, at the opening ceremony of the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Xi put forward 10 partnership actions for modernization, with the first being "Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations."

"China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilizations on our way to modernization, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the GCI," Xi said.

As the world order designed to serve the interests of Western powers no longer meets the evolving needs and aspirations of Global South countries, a call for change is a natural response, said Ong, the Malaysian expert.

"This must occur ... free from any mental subordination. Only then can an environment conducive to a nation's modernization and development be established," he said. "In this respect, the GCI undoubtedly serves as a potent enabler."