Global civilization initiative
CIVILIZATIONAL diversity is in its essence, a pinnacle of verve and thrust in human development. It is highly undeniable that despite having diverse annals, cultures, different political systems, and phases of development, all countries have an intrinsic disposition towards peace and stability, justice and equity, freedom and democracy, and prosperity and development_ the shared ideals of humanity, which they share in common.
However, in recent years, the intensified geopolitical scuffles have greatly pained mankind, due to the “clash of civilizations” and “superiority of civilizations” notions of the West. This has led to the estrangement and abhorrence among different civilizations, thereby, gravely thwarting international cooperation. Against this backdrop, China has recently launched the Global Civilization Initiative, as a rejoinder to address the demands of the time, laying a blueprint to transform the turbulence into harmony.
The Global Civilization Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in a Dialogue during a high-level meeting of World Political Parties Xi Jinping, is a clarion call for revering the civilization’s diversity, esteeming their inheritance and innovation, reassuring the common values of humanity, and bolstering people to people collaboration and interactions. Building upon this, the Global Civilization Initiative essentially answers the puzzles of time, such as “What kind of modernization does the world require?” and “How can we accomplish the benchmark of modernization?” Nonetheless, this initiative has granted another public good to the world.
With an all-encompassing mindset, China has always been a strong advocate of promoting people-to-people exchanges, mutual learning, and collaboration of civilizations. China has also been furthering its broad vision of the common good of mankind and is always sharing its experience in promoting Chinese modernization with the rest of the world. Looking back into the past, the ancient Silk Route has also exemplified the Chinese spirit of collaboration, mutual learning, and benefit. This notion is presently embodied in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has created tangible opportunities for people through increased participation and exchanges.
In view of a turbulent international outlook, President Xi, a decade ago, presented a significant and all-inclusive vision of building a community with a shared future, an entreaty for solidarity and the welfare of mankind as China’s foreign policy goal. Over the years, this vision has resonated in PRC’s diplomacy and foreign policy actions and China has successfully translated this vision into a reality, acting as a linchpin for global peace and stability and providing an incentive for global development.
China’s Global Civilization Initiative is a furtherance of the two prominent initiatives launched by China earlier in 2021 and 2022, namely the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative respectively. The Global Development Initiative, put forth by China, provides an impetus to get the world out of the development conundrum by promoting South-South cooperation. This is evident from the fact that today China’s economy is deeply entrenched in the countries’ economies all over the globe, and China is the leading trading partner of more than 140 countries, across different regions. Having contributed over 30 pc of global growth on average, for consecutively a decade, Chinese goods worth 80 million yuan are being traded every hour, between China and the world. According to the World Openness Report 2022, China’s standing in the World Openness Index has levitated from 62 to 39 out of 129 main global economies.
On the other hand, the Global Security Initiative furthers Xi’s vision, endorsing a new pathway to global security, by prioritizing dialog over conflict, partnerships over alliances, and win-win cooperation over the zero-sum game, while respecting the sovereignty and licit security concerns of all the countries as enshrined in UN charter. This vision of Xi Jinping strongly defies hegemonism, interfering in other countries’ domestic affairs and power politics, to ensure common security and lasting peace.
According to President Xi, “A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden.” The visionary leadership of the PRC has this prudence that to achieve the epitome of modernization and development, all nations must practice a modernization path accustomed to its national reality while enduring the values of tolerance, coexistence, connectedness, exchanges, and mutual learning for the betterment of humanity. It is very important to note that the Chinese pathway to modernization and revitalization of the Chinese nation, is deeply embedded in its historical and cultural roots, while also drawing on the circumstances of other nations’ experiences. China’s experience, therefore, serves as a zenith of modernization, for the entire world, to seek harmony and progress for mankind.
In a nutshell, from the Global Development Initiative (GDI) to Global Security Initiative (GSI) up to the recent Global Civilization Initiative, China has been portraying an increasingly mature global outlook. The Global Civilization Initiative has offered mankind a vision of a community with a shared future, encapsulating Chinese wisdom in averting the clash of civilizations, the Cold War mindset, and the tradition of restricting mankind into boundaries of ideologues. Together these three global initiatives by China, comprehend China’s inclusive intellects aimed at solving global exertions and improving global governance and will inoculate stability and bring new optimism to the present-day world of turbulence.
—The writer works as a researcher with China-Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.
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