CHAOYANG — Saud Faisal Malik, CEO of The Daily CPEC, Deputy Editor in Chief and Chief of Digital Media of Pakistan Observer, called for deeper cultural cooperation between Pakistan and China, urging the two nations to extend their partnership beyond
infrastructure and trade into joint research, media collaboration, and youth engagement.
Malik made the appeal while speaking as Guest of Honor and keynote speaker at the China–Foreign Media Dialogue, held as part of the 2026 Conference on Hongshan Culture in Chaoyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province.
The two-day conference, held Wednesday and Thursday under the theme “Hongshan Culture: A Dialogue
Between Eras and Civilizations,” brought together archaeologists, heritage experts, civilization researchers, diplomats, and media leaders from around the world to examine the significance of the 5,000-to-6,500-year-old Neolithic culture and its role in advancing international cultural cooperation.
A CALL FOR CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP
In his keynote address, “Hongshan Culture: From Discovery to Dialogue,” Malik argued that Pakistan and China —
bound by one of the region’s strongest strategic partnerships through initiatives such as the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor — are ready for culture to become the next chapter of that relationship. Drawing on Pakistan’s own civilizational history as home to the Indus Valley Civilization, Malik reflected on the parallels between the two ancient cultures, noting that both continue to shape how their modern nations understand their origins.
He proposed three concrete steps to deepen ties: joint research between Pakistani and Chinese institutions
studying their respective civilizations, collaborative media and documentary projects between journalists and
storytellers from both countries, and youth exchange programs that would allow the next generation to engage
directly with each other’s heritage.
“Technology can amplify a story. It cannot replace the people who give that story meaning.”
Malik added that the next chapter of the Hongshan Culture’s global recognition would be shaped not only by continued archaeological discovery, but by how effectively that discovery is communicated to the world — a
principle he framed as equally true for the Pakistan–China relationship at large.
HONGSHAN CULTURE TAKES CENTER STAGE
Malik’s remarks came alongside those of senior Chinese officials and international scholars gathered for the
broader conference.
Xu Kunlin, secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee, outlined the province’s efforts to protect and promote Hongshan culture, including strengthened legislative protection for the Niuheliang site, the establishment of the Hongshan Culture Research Institute, and a joint bid for World Heritage status with neighboring regions.
Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, called for a “robust global communication
network for Hongshan culture,” while Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, urged jointly telling the story of Hongshan and Chinese culture to global audiences.
International participants echoed the theme of shared heritage. Khaled Nazmy, Egypt’s ambassador to China, described the gathering as proof that “ancient heritage and civilization are not only a chapter in history, but also a living legacy.”
Shahbaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, noted that Hongshan culture’s ritual architecture and jade craftsmanship “reveal humanity’s early spiritual and social evolution.”
Wang Wei of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences observed that Hongshan civilization developed a complex society
without writing, cities, or metallurgy, demonstrating that “there is more than one path to civilization.”
HONORING DECADES OF RESEARCH
The conference paid tribute to individuals who have shaped Hongshan scholarship over the decades. Su Shenzhi, daughter of the late archaeologist Su Bingqi, accepted a commemorative honor on her father’s behalf, alongside archaeologist Guo Dashun and American Sinologist Elizabeth Childs-Johnson. Heads of the cultural heritage administrations of Liaoning, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia also signed a cooperation agreement on archaeological research into Hongshan culture, formalizing cross-regional collaboration on its preservation and study.
Media representatives from Liaoning, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia also shared accounts of iconic Hongshan artifacts at the conference, including the Hongshan goddess statue, the ring-shaped jade dragon known as the jue, and the C-shaped jade dragon.
