Giving Prominence to Chinese Culture while Drawing on Other Cultures
China Scholars Abroad ( First Issue of 2018 )
While learning the philosophy of the 19th National Congress of the CPC and discussing how to strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the context of the new era, we must focus on “giving prominence to Chinese culture while also drawing on other cultures”.
In the National Ideological and Political Work Conference for Universities in 2016, a new mission of international cooperation and exchange was added to universities, which is of great significance. The other four missions are talent cultivation, scientific research, social services and the inheritance and innovation of human civilization. The report of the 19th CPC National Congress points out that the world is undergoing major developments, transformation, and adjustment, but peace and development remain the call of our day. We call on the people of all countries to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world featuring lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. In education, especially when it comes to universities’ capacity building of people-to-people exchanges to accomplish the new mission of international cooperation and exchange, we must focus on building a community with a shared future for mankind, give prominence to Chinese culture while also drawing on other cultures, and pay attention to the following trends:
First, innovate new forms of activities to provide “public goods” for international people-to-people exchanges. China used to act as a participant in international people-to-people exchanges and contribute resources as a cooperation partner, but not adequately act as an initiator and leader. It still takes time and efforts to explore how to achieve win-win result through institutional innovation, merge common interest and build long-term mechanism. Building a community with a shared future for mankind, which is proposed at the 19th CPC National Congress, conforms to the trend of global development and human progress and offers a new approach to build a beautiful world. From this point, the opening-up of education leaves us much room to make accomplishments.
On October 11, 2017, President Xi Jinping replied a letter to the first graduates of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCAD), stressing that “promoting equality, inclusion and sustainable development is our shared aspiration.” This letter, written on the eve of the 19th CPC National Congress, is of historic significance. In September 2015, at the summits marking the 70th anniversary of the UN, President Xi Jinping announced that China would establish ISSCAD. His proposition for a community with a shared future for mankind was also echoed passionately at the summits. ISSCAD was founded in April 2016 at Peking University, with the purpose of cultivating high-end talents and building an exchange platform for developing countries, mobilize more contribution from South-South cooperation to global development. The first semester began in September 2016, admitting 48 government officials, MPs, financial professionals and scholars from 27 countries in Asia, African and Latin America as Master’s or PhD candidates. On July 6, 2017, the first 26 graduates read out their appreciation letter to President Xi Jinping at the commencement ceremony, expressing their gratitude to the Chinese government for the opportunity to acquire more knowledge and learn from China’s experience of reform and opening-up. With the ideas and management expertise learned here, they believed ISSCAD would help them become successful leaders in reforming and developing their countries.
On September 22, 2015, the 5th Dialogue between American and Chinese College Students was held in Beijing. The above a group picture of attendees at the end of the Dialogue. Photographer: Chen Duo, Xinhua News Agency
Second, build a community with a shared future for mankind, advocate openness, innovation, inclusiveness, mutual benefit, respect for nature, green development, harmony in diversity, give prominence to Chinese culture while also drawing on other cultures, so as to consolidate the ties of civilization exchange. Promoting the exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations is an integral part of building a community with a shared future for mankind. President Xi Jinping stresses that each nation and civilization is unique and colorful, which only differs in features but not in superiority. The harmonious co-existence and mutual learning of civilizations could become a bridge for people’s friendship, an engine for the progress of human society and a bond for world peace. Only with such an attitude can different civilizations thrive together for the harmony and progress of human society. Notions like “the clash of civilizations” and “superiority of civilizations” contradict the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind.
88-year-old Tan Zhong is a well-known scholar on China-India relations and cultures, and he has been teaching in India for half a century. He translates “Chindia” as “中印大同”, believing that the two countries have been a community with shared civilizations since ancient times. We were interdependent, and now we are close neighbors. We can make new friends, but neighbors won’t move away; neighbors may compete but do not harbor hostility, we are a community with a shared future. The community with a shared future for mankind is a vibrant, open and inclusive system. For countries with different geographical location, history and culture, social system, size of economy and development stage, as long as they identify with the community, they can seek common ground while reserving differences, find harmony in diversity, strengthen cooperation and seek win-win results, so as to defend their legitimate national interest and contribute to the progress of human society.
Therefore, when discussing the development and outlook of people-to-people and cultural exchanges in the new international landscape, we must first understand the concept of “major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics” proposed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, with comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and formulate an in-depth understanding of “building a community with a shared future for mankind”, “a new type of major-country relations” and “the right approach to justice and interests”. Recently, Peking University has put regional and country studies to top priority when developing itself as world first-class university and achieve first-class academic disciplines. Dozens of universities including Fudan University and RUC have established research centers focusing on the “Belt and Road” and a community with a shared future for mankind. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, research organizations like the Institute for China-US People-to-People Exchange has played a significant role in building mechanisms for high-level exchanges in this regard. The research centers established lately studying the community with a shared future for mankind will demonstrate the capability and effect of giving prominence to Chinese culture while also drawing on other cultures in the opening-up of education.
The National Ideological and Political Work Conference for Universities focuses on how, what and why for us to cultivate talents. In international people-to-people exchanges, we must stay true to our original aspiration and mission, give prominence to Chinese culture while also drawing on other cultures. This principle also works for other countries. At the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting held in December 2017, the passionate response from political party leaders across the world shows that building a community with a shared future for mankind is the strong and common aspiration of all humanity. It should be noted that China is not exporting its political propositions, but is guiding foreign political parties in exploring the development path compatible with their own national circumstances. “Each country must explore and find its own path of development. Instead of copying China’s approach indiscriminately, you need to take China as a mirror to see your country and have more confidence for development.” Said Yao Yang at the first class since the opening of ISSCAD, who is Executive Dean of ISSCAD and Dean of the National School of Development of Peking University.
Third, consolidate the popular basis for people-to-people exchanges. The relations between countries boil down to the relations between people. Nowadays, public opinion is increasingly becoming a critical element for national relations. The friendship between the people contribute to national relations, and vice versa. Therefore, the success of people-to-people exchanges heavily hinges on people’s understanding, participation and support. We should encourage and extend the exchange between different sectors and all walks of life, including families, communities, schools and civil society organizations (CSOs) at the grass-root level, so as to enhance mutual understanding and affinity; we should also make efforts to deepen cultural exchanges to achieve inclusiveness and integration during communication and discussion; moreover, we must channel public opinion in the proper direction, so that friendly cooperation could become the mainstream and consolidate the social foundation for people-to-people exchanges.
In people-to-people exchanges, those remembered by all are the major thread to build platforms, because history would never forget those who contribute to the peace and friendship of humanity. In October 2015, at the welcome banquet hosted by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, President Xi Jinping mentioned George Hogg, the British journalist who were devoted to the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. He not only wrote articles revealing the atrocities of Japanese aggressors, but also worked as the principal of Shaanxi Shuangshipu BaiLie School, making the ultimate sacrifice at a young age for helping move students to safety. In recent years, in the St. George’s School where George Hogg studied, the Essay Competition co-sponsored by Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding and China Center for Edgar Snow Studies, Peking University has been held twice. These high school students in St. George’s School began to understand today’s China through writing essays. The Edgar Snow Memorial Foundation at Snow’s hometown will begin a global itinerant exhibition of the 80th anniversary of the publishing of Red Star Over China; a large exhibition with the theme of Smedley studies prepared by expert on China studies Professor Stephen R. MacKinnon will also be held at Peking University Library.
When Xi Jinping visit the United States as Vice President in early 2012, he went to the village he stayed 27 years ago to catch up with the family that hosted him then. Reuniting with the 17 American friends, he said emotionally: “You can’t imagine how much I was impressed by this place. You were the first Americans I met, and you were my first impression on America. For me, you represent America.” The Americans were deeply moved. The housewife Eleanor remembered: “Everyone has the chance to stand up and speak, and the Vice President was always smiling. He even remembered I was born in New York. For me, he’s more like an old friend I haven’t met for years than a posturing politician. We were all relaxed, so was him.” Her husband Tom Dvorchak asked Xi whether he remembered the gift he gave to the family. Xi said it was a bottle of Chinese liquor, Tom said it was the strongest liquor he ever had, and everyone laughed out loud. “He even remembered I gave him popcorn when he left! I didn’t recall.”
In November 2017, President Xi Jinping met the Pholsena family from Laos, saying he was delighted to reunite with the old classmates and friends after seven years and see all of them lead a happy and healthy life. The fourth daughter Khemvieng said: “It’s the third time that I met President Xi Jinping. Every time we met, I felt more drawn to him. He’s an adorable and kind person, making people feel comfortable.” The maximum effect of people-to-people exchanges is empathy, humanity and emotions are shared by all, which everyone can share with foreigners. For ordinary people, we can communicate with foreigners with sincerity, happy experiences and feelings. If every Chinese could make friends with a foreigner, our friends will be found in every corner of the world.
Fourth, tell Stories of China with a sense of gain. People-to-people exchanges at global level must provide public goods to the international community by organizing activities that create a sense of gain for foreigners, including offering development assistance and charitable donation, engaging CSOs in global governance, schools providing education and training to foreigners, enterprises taking social responsibility abroad, creating jobs and promoting economic development, and etc. “A sense of gain” is the key to the activities. These activities indicate that people-to-people exchanges are more about taking concrete actions than merely telling stories. Shared fruits and a sense of gain are the concrete results of exchange at social level, as well as important channels to deliver outcomes in people-to-people exchanges. International exchange in different social spectrum and fields could enhance mutual understanding and cooperation, as well as strengthen identity and confidence. International exchange in economy, education, culture, media, technology and sports not only realizes its own target, but also create a global network that brings nations closer and interdependent. Businesses, think tanks, schools, media and social organizations serve as hubs in international exchange, providing opportunities and platforms for people to initiate cooperation and friendship. University students are more likely to build such network in the exchange between universities. At the Youth Session of the Beijing Forum, students from Yuanpei College of Peking University spoke on “Golbal Governance in an Era of Change----a Youth Perspective”, engaging 59 students from 14 countries to discuss the problems and challenges facing all humanity, giving young people a sense of gain on this platform.
The sense of gain derives from the common interest brought by people-to-people exchanges, like the Japanese students studying in the Imperial College in Tang Dynasty and even joining the civil service. The granddaughter of the American President is interested in learning Chinese, not only because of the wide application scenarios of the language, but also for the need of diplomacy, which is a learning demand deriving from reality. Kensington Wade Prep School, the first school to teach Chinese and English courses (50/50) in the UK, was opened in 2017 and celebrated the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Its founder Professor Hugo de Burgh said: “For a long time, I have wanted young British people in the future to be able to communicate with Chinese people and to understand Chinese culture. And be feel at one in Chinese society. Not just learn the language, but understand and respect and admire Chinese culture. Because I feel I’ve learned a lot from China, for being in China, working with China people. So I feel the future generation English boys and girls have the same opportunitie.” A century ago, the famous British philosopher Bertrand Russell visited China at the invitation of Cai Yuanpei, who was President of Peking University. He said: “When I went to China, I went to teach; but every day that I stayed I thought less of what I had to teach them and more of what I had to learn from them. I wish I could hope that China, in return for our scientific knowledge, may give us something of her large tolerance and contemplative peace of mind. It is this hope that I wish to see inspiring Young China. This hope is realizable; and, because it is realizable China deserves a foremost place in the esteem of every lover of mankind.”
People may have different views, and countries may have different temperaments, mindsets and customs. Yet after all, the fundamental feelings and values are shared by all. In the end, the stories aim to touch the common feelings and values of humanity and echo deeper.
Fifth, break the boundaries in mind.In the new scenario, education plays a pivotal role in people-to-people exchanges. Since new missions bring new challenges, people-to-people exchanges have shifted from the traditional “friendly exchanges” among people to non-governmental diplomacy featuring “global governance” and multilateralism. However, we must not ignore the deficiencies in awareness, capability, culture and system in the educational sector, particularly in university research centers and CSOs. Most education institutes still perceive people-to-people exchanges from the level of foreign affairs of the routine international exchange activities, lacking political understanding and a sense of purpose. They don’t take the initiative of “going global”, not to mention going to the grassroots abroad. International departments are busy with the routine matters of arranging the foreign visits of leaders, faculty and students, receiving foreign delegations and attending international conferences. By comparison, NGO in the West are not only strong in mindset and capability in international activities, but also set up local offices with permanent employees, doing solid, concrete and sustainable work. There are many NGO involved in UN agencies and activities, but few of them are Chinese. Key areas like livelihood, environmental protection and infrastructure in developing countries are mostly dominated by NGO from the developed countries. The key reason for the absence of Chinese CSOs in international affairs is that we still regard people-to-people exchanges as an addition to government diplomacy, and foreign affairs as an addition to routine tasks.
American elementary and secondary school students experiencing Chinese culture at the Chinese Consulate General in New York on May 6, 2017.
The above picture shows American students learning paper cutting, and the below picture shows two America girls. Photographer: Wang Ying, Xinhua News Agency
Education, especially the university-affiliated organizations should play a role in national and global governance. Their expertise in respective fields are the core competencies. Education institutes in China enjoy the organization strength, the rich and diverse culture and the great talent pool of the country, therefore could offer enormous resources to people-to-people exchanges. For instance, 300,000 young volunteers were mobilized during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and 2,280 young volunteers provided quality services during the 2014 APEC meeting in Beijing. As education opening-up expands, international cooperation and exchange in education is getting deeper. However, we must not ignore the gap. In Beijing, the number of university students in 10,000 people is only half of the globally recognized international cities, and the share of foreigners working in Beijing is particularly low. By estimate, the permanent foreign residents in Beijing is only 1% of the population, compared with 15.6% in New York and 30% in London. Even in Tokyo and Seoul, which share similar cultures as China, the share exceeds 2%. Soft power development, which focuses on values, institutional models, political propositions and cultural influence, is increasingly prioritized across the world, especially by major countries. People-to-people exchanges are an important vehicle for soft-power development. It is a pressing task and long-term strategy with far-reaching influence to further strengthen our appeal, influence and charisma internationally, while at the same time make Chinese people know better about the world and themselves. The development of circumstances home and abroad has made people-to-people exchanges complicated, requiring us to make gradual and persistent efforts and let media, CSOs, think tanks, academic institutes, celebrities and ordinary citizens play their due role.
President Xi Jinping mentioned on many occasions that the key to “amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness” lies in “amity”, which reflects Chinese philosophy, i.e., focusing more on the big picture than the trivial immediate interests. “Valuing friendship” means the relations determine interests, not the other way around. It reflects Chinese philosophy in people-to-people exchanges, which aims at promoting sound international social exchange and fostering positive public opinion, therefore serving the interest of the nation and the people. In this historic stage, new features emerge in China’s foreign relations, raising new requirements for the target and essence of people-to-people exchanges, which is not only about winning understanding and respect from the world, but also joining hands with people worldwide for a planet of lasting peace and development.
Last but not least, let’s find the answer from the three graduates of ISSCAD.
Aymen Fakiri, a Lebanese young man, one of the first graduates from ISSCAD told Xinhua News Agency: “from my perspective, China is one of the few countries sincerely willing to help other developing countries by upholding win-win and mutually beneficial cooperation. A small country like Lebanon needs China’s help.” He believes that the “Belt and Road” is a great initiative, which brings enormous opportunities to countries along this initiative, makes trade more convenient and delivers win-win results. He is ready to contribute to China-Lebanon relations.
Yelena Barbekova, the Director General for the Department for International Trade-economic Cooperation and European Integration, the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine told People’s Daily that “China is a major country in rapid development, with a big say and influence in global affairs. How does China build its political and economic systems to implement the reforms? How do these systems work? We can learn a lot from China’s practice.”
J.H. Mupamhanga, Deputy Chief Secretary of the Office of the Office of the President and Cabinet (Zimbabwe) said that the carefully designed curriculum is tailor made for medium- and high-level officials from developing countries to offer them China’s governing experience and reduce their reliance on the governing experience of the developed world when returning home. “Learning from China’s governing experience has broadened my horizon and helped me think deeper, more comprehensively and objectively. An open and inclusive China is full of vigor and vitality. I’ll take home China’s experience and wisdom to contribute to national development.”
(Professor Sun Hua, Executive Dean of Yuanpei College, Peking University, Director of China Center for Edgar Snow Studies, Peking University)