World needs new avenues for dialogue

Senior Chinese official calls for broader communication between nations

Guests attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Culture Forum on Sept 19, 2024. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

In the wake of severe challenges the world is facing today, countries should work together to strengthen policy communication and civilian participation to better promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning, a senior Chinese official said at the Beijing Culture Forum on Friday.

Hu Kaihong, a member of the Affairs Council of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the statement during a parallel forum themed Cultural Exchanges: Mutual Learning and Common Progress held in the Chinese capital on Friday morning.

"China will continue to play its role in the exchange and learning of world civilizations," he said. "We suggest that countries should establish broader mechanisms for exchange and cooperation in the culture field, and deepen the breadth and depth of cultural exchanges."

"Meanwhile, modern technology should be adopted to promote innovation and development in cultural exchange methods," he said. "We should open up more avenues for mutual learning and exchange among young people, promote deeper cultural dialogues among the world's youth who will bring continuous vitality and vigor to the progress of human civilization."

In recent years, China has been making active efforts in international youth exchanges, with more and more universities and institutions inviting foreign youth, including young people from the United States, to study in China or tour to the country to experience the local culture.

Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng, speaking at the Vision China forum at the Asia Society in New York earlier in the month, said that more than 10,000 American youths have visited China since President Xi Jinping extended an invitation during the summit with US President Joe Biden last November to 50,000 American youth to visit China for exchanges and study programs over five years.

"We will build more bridges of dialogue and communication between our peoples to sustain the tradition of friendship," Xie said, welcoming more young Americans to come and make friends with Chinese people, experience Chinese culture and understand China from multiple dimensions.

Addressing the parallel forum, Kang Zhen, vice-president of Beijing Normal University, said that universities, as an important base for talent cultivation and scientific research, have a natural role of becoming the platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning.

"In the future, Beijing Normal University will further promote cross-cultural international talent training programs, deepen high-level international dissemination of Chinese culture, and win more international consensus and promote exchanges and mutual learning of human civilizations," Kang said.

Oumar Demba Ba, former chief diplomatic adviser to the President of Senegal, believes that China has demonstrated its farsighted vision for the future development of the world, which reflects a responsible attitude toward building peaceful international relations based on considerations of the interests of all countries.

He highly praised the cooperation achievements in the cultural field between China and Senegal and called on all countries to work together, adapt to the changes of the times, build a more open and dynamic multilateralism, and construct a more fair, inclusive and equal international order.

More than 150 government officials, experts, scholars, celebrities and youth representatives from 21 countries and regions attended this parallel forum.