Zhang Yonggang Yu Zhirong

Author: Zhang Yonggang, Yu Zhirong

(The authors are Professor of the School of Marxism of South China Normal University, special researcher of the Research Center of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Guangdong Province; and a master's student of the School of Marxism of South China Normal University)

On March 15th, When General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the high-level dialogue between the CPC and the world's political parties in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech entitled "Walk Together on the Road to Modernization", he stressed that "in the face of a series of modernization questions, political parties, as an important force leading and promoting the modernization process, have the responsibility to answer." "At a time when the future and destiny of various countries are closely linked, the inclusive coexistence, exchange and mutual learning of different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in promoting the modernization process of human society and prospering the Hundred Flowers Garden of World Civilization." At the meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative for the first time, jointly advocating respect for the diversity of world civilizations, promoting the common values of all mankind, attaching importance to the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation. The initiative expresses China's hope and determination to promote inclusive coexistence, exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations, and provides a Chinese plan for promoting the modernization process of human society and prospering the Hundred Flowers Garden of World Civilizations.

Jointly advocating respect for the diversity of world civilizations

As early as 1844, Engels pointed out that "civilization is a matter of practice and a quality of society", highlighting the practicality and sociality of civilization. Each civilization is created by the practice of the vast majority of the people in that civilization. Different geographical environments, cultural traditions, language characteristics, and values have created different civilizations, making world civilization diverse. In response, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that "each civilization is rooted in its own soil of survival, embodying the extraordinary wisdom and spiritual pursuit of a country or a nation, and has its own value for existence." The diversity of world civilizations is an inevitable trend in the development of world history, and will inevitably have a significant impact on the development of world modernization.

Since the 16th century, modernization, as a significant symbol of the development and progress of human civilization, has been the common development goal of all countries in the world, especially developing countries. Although modernization was initiated by developed capitalist countries in the West, the development path, construction mode, and value choice of modernization are not single. Each country and nation has the right to choose the corresponding modernization development path based on its own civilization characteristics. In today's highly globalized world, communication among different civilizations is closer, and no civilization can be isolated. The development of each civilization is closely related to other civilizations, and each civilization will be influenced by the other. In this context, choosing estrangement, conflict, and confrontation is not only detrimental to the development of other civilizations, but also makes it difficult for one to move forward. Therefore, all countries in the world should respect the diversity of world civilizations, adhere to equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and tolerance among civilizations, and transcend cultural estrangement, conflict, and superiority through exchanges, mutual learning, and inclusiveness.

Jointly advocate and promote the common values of all mankind

In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom are the common pursuit of the people of all countries", and further emphasized that "it is necessary to understand the understanding of different civilizations on the connotation of values with a broad mind, not to impose their own values and models on others, and not engage in ideological confrontation.". This is an initiative for countries around the world to adhere to the dialectical unity of the universality of the common values of all mankind and the particularity of their own orientations, based on respect for the diversity of world civilizations.

On the one hand, the pursuit of values such as peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom conforms to the trend of social and historical development and the evolution of human civilization, and can transcend differences in national, ethnic, and even ideological concepts. It is a common value choice for all mankind, with universality. On the other hand, due to the different development processes of different civilizations, their development models and value choices are unique compared to other civilizations. The special orientation of different civilizations must follow the common values of all mankind in order to survive for a long time and contribute to the diversity of world civilizations. Therefore, despite the interweaving and overlapping of multiple challenges and crises in the world today, the modernization process of human society has once again come to a crossroads in history, and the development process of human civilization is facing many greater uncertainties. However, common values and goals can become a solid link between different civilizations. This requires countries around the world to adhere to the common values of all mankind, and to constantly explore and accumulate more common values and value pursuits through exchanges and mutual learning among various civilizations in the world.

Jointly advocating the importance of civilization inheritance and innovation

As early as 2014, President Xi Jinping emphasized in his speech at the headquarters of UNESCO that "every civilization continues the spiritual lineage of a country and a nation. It requires not only passing on through the ages and guarding from generation to generation, but also advancing with the times and being brave in innovation.". From the perspective of the differences between civilization inheritance and innovation, civilization inheritance mainly emphasizes maintaining their own continuity and uniqueness. Only by maintaining their own healthy development, and recognizing their own characteristics and strengths, can different civilizations become part of the Hundred Flowers Garden of World Civilization. Civilized innovation attaches greater importance to enhancing one's own initiative and modernity, and is a positive adjustment and active adaptation to changes in the conditions of the times and the external environment. From the perspective of the unity of civilization inheritance and innovation, the two are a dialectical relationship that "there is me in you, there is you in me" and supports each other. Civilization inheritance cannot be separated from the creation of new and contemporary conditions and means, and civilization innovation requires civilization itself as its foundation and carrier.

Nowadays, the trend of integration between the development of world modernization and the evolution of human civilization is constantly strengthening. Adapting to the background of modernization, integrating into the trend of modernization, and achieving the goal of modernization have become the key to the long-term survival of various civilizations. Therefore, all countries in the world should adhere to the principle of advancing civilization inheritance and innovation hand in hand, and achieve creative transformation and innovative development of their own distinctive and excellent cultures in the process of modernization. This is not only the fundamental way to maintain their own civilization characteristics and continue their development, but also the inexhaustible driving force and long-term guarantee for promoting the modernization process of human society and the development and prosperity of all human civilization.

Jointly advocate strengthening international people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation

Historically, human civilization exchanges have never been smooth sailing. Foreign wars and colonial plunder have once become the main means of human civilization exchanges in world history. However, this brief and extreme exchange does not conform to the evolution of human civilization, and peaceful exchanges are more accepted by people around the world. Marx and Engels have repeatedly emphasized the importance of industrial development, commercial trade, and other ways to promote cultural exchanges. Large industry promotes the formation of world markets, "making everything that happens in civilized countries inevitably affect other countries," and foreign trade can play a "role in spreading civilization.".

In today's era of economic globalization, political multipolarization, cultural pluralism, and social informatization, there will be more diverse ways to communicate among different civilizations. In addition to traditional economic and trade exchanges, political cooperation, and other channels, international people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation will deeply permeate every culture and everyone, with greater durability, effectiveness, and influence. Therefore, focusing on building a global civilization dialogue and cooperation network, enriching communication content, expanding cooperation channels, and creating an international people-to-people and cultural exchange and cooperation platform will become an important channel and path to promote mutual understanding and affinity among people of all countries and jointly promote the development and progress of human civilization.

To sum up, the modernization of human society and the evolution of human civilization both belong to the process of human history, and the question of modernization essentially belongs to the question of civilization and history. Chinese path to modernization is generated in the atmosphere of the excellent traditional Chinese culture that has lasted for thousands of years, created in the century long practice and exploration of the CPC to unite and lead the Chinese people in pursuit of national rejuvenation, and enriched and developed in mutual exchange and reference with other civilizations around the world. Chinese path to modernization provides a Chinese solution to the modernization problems that the world is concerned about. The Global Civilization Initiative is also a Chinese solution to further promote the modernization process of human society and prosper the world's civilization garden.