The Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting, held in Beijing on July 10–11, attracted broad international attention. Amid intensifying global challenges and a shifting international landscape marked by heightened uncertainty, the importance of building consensus and promoting peace through dialogue among civilizations has grown significantly. In a congratulatory letter to the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that “China will work with other countries to champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations, implement the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and promote the building of a global network for dialogue and cooperation among civilizations, in a bid to provide fresh impetus for advancing human civilizations and promoting world peace and development.”

Seeking insights from history

The long arc of human civilization tells a vivid story of exchange and mutual learning. According to Li Guoqiang, a Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and deputy director of the Chinese Academy of History at CASS, cultural exchange between China and other civilizations date back to prehistoric times. Archaeological evidence reveals that more than 5,000 years ago, Chinese painted pottery techniques started to spread westward, while domesticated cattle, sheep, wheat, and bronze technology from West Asia and the Eurasian steppe gradually made their way into China.

From the 3rd century BCE onward, crops such as sesame, grapes, and pomegranates were introduced from the eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia, while Roman glassware, Indian gemstones, and Arabian resins gradually entered China, Li continued. Around the 8th century, East Asian countries had begun extensively adopting Chinese characters, Confucian thought, political systems, and scientific advances, forming a Sinocentric cultural sphere. Meanwhile, Chinese inventions such as the compass and papermaking spread globally, triggering transformative changes and even helping to fuel the European Renaissance.

Rui Lourido, director of the Observatory for China, a think tank in Portugal, offered his perspective on the long history of interaction between European and Chinese civilizations. He noted that among the many flowers within the vibrant garden of human civilizations, Chinese civilization is exceptional for having endured uninterrupted for over 5,000 years. Since ancient times, China has maintained frequent contact with the West. In the 15th–16th centuries, Portuguese navigators like Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope, opening the way for Europe’s first direct sea links with China. These maritime trade voyages facilitated the steady and large-scale dissemination of Chinese culture throughout Europe.

Along the ancient trans-Eurasian routes, the footprints of inter-civilizational exchange linked countless brilliant cultures. Lourido highlighted how the ancient Silk Road once thrived as a crossroads of diverse civilizations. He added that traditional Chinese culture exerted a profound influence on Europe, permeating all facets of daily life. Innovations from ancient China—such as papermaking, the compass, gunpowder, printing, porcelain, and silk—played pivotal roles in Europe’s modernization. The 15th to 19th centuries saw a vogue for Chinoiserie take hold in Europe. Within European society, China’s cultural impact left an enduring legacy.

Diversity matters

Civilizations grow richer and more colorful through exchange and mutual learning. Across the span of human history, each civilization has shone with its own brilliance, embodying distinctive histories, values, and developmental paths.

“Diversity is what it is: we are all different, but at the same time we have humanity as a shared common value, we are all humans. Unless we begin to appreciate our differences to make similar choices for development, we’re not going to get very far in our pursuit of happiness,” remarked Zainab Anyadike, a research fellow from the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria, in an interview with CSST.

For Anyadike, while the preservation of indigenous civilizations is essential, understanding foreign cultures matters even more. Diversity and difference carry the very dynamism that drives civilizational progress. When the wisdom and values of different civilizations converge, they ultimately coalesce into a powerful force for the benefit of all humankind.

GCI wins wide acclaim

Since its proposal two years ago, the GCI has garnered wide acclaim from the international community. Gloria Thomas, minister of Social and Community Development, Housing, and Gender Affairs in Grenada, believes that in today’s globalized world, integrating diverse knowledge systems can provide practical solutions to shared global challenges—an approach the GCI actively encourages. The GCI represents both a profound respect for humanity and a tremendous benefit for the contemporary world.

Ding Guoqi, director of the Institute of Literature at CASS, highlighted that the GCI, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative inject new vitality into human progress and global peace, embodying the Chinese cultural ideals of “each culture valuing its own beauty, united in shared splendor.”

Aye Maung, chairman of Myanmar’s Arakan Front Party, praised the initiative as more than a diplomatic proposition; it is a call to honor shared cultural heritage and promote harmonious prosperity. In the 21st century, the world is witnessing the rise of a new international paradigm—one that prioritizes cooperation over confrontation, and dialogue over division. Regarding the GCI as a forward-looking framework, Maung affirmed that it provides a clear roadmap toward a more inclusive, peaceful, and equitable world, adding that globally, China’s articulation of a strategic blueprint for humanity’s shared future reflects a level of foresight rarely observed.

The GCI expresses a vision that resonates deeply with our collective history, Maung stated. China’s Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence laid the groundwork for the Non-Aligned Movement and continue to guide international diplomacy today. These core values are now being revitalized through the GCI.