Dunhuang, June 3rd—The Third World Conference of Sinologists, themed "Pooling Wisdom of Civilizations to Jointly Address Challenges of Our Times," was held here today. The event was organized by the Chinese Association for International Understanding and the People's Government of Gansu Province. Ji Bingxuan, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress of China and President of the Chinese Association for International Understanding, delivered a keynote speech. Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), addressed the conference via video-link. Hu Changsheng, Secretary of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Gansu Provincial People’s Congress, delivered remarks. More than 300 participants were present, including political figures, sinologists, experts and scholars from nearly 70 countries, as well as representatives from relevant domestic departments and cultural sectors. Among them were Thun Vathana, Second Vice President of the Senate of Cambodia; Sira Rego, Spain’s Minister for Youth and Children; Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, former President of Ethiopia and a sinologist; Wolfgang Kubin, a German sinologist; Tiziana Lippiello, an Italian sinologist and Rector of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice; and Stephen R. Bokenkamp, a U.S. sinologist.

Ji said that today’s world is witnessing frequent geopolitical conflicts and regional wars, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, growing threats from hegemonism and power politics, and the resurgence of outdated thinking marked by civilizational estrangement and bloc confrontation. People across countries have an even more pressing desire for peace and development, and an even stronger call for fairness and justice. President Xi Jinping’s vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four major global initiatives have pointed the way forward amid the changes unseen in a century. We need to uphold mutual benefit and win-win results and reject closure and exclusion; uphold harmony and peace and reject conflict and confrontation; uphold mutual sincerity and reject suspicion and estrangement; and uphold fairness and justice and reject power politics and bullying. Chinese modernization, as a new form of human civilization, learns from other civilizations and contributes unique wisdom to the development of world civilizations. He expressed the hope that sinologists would continue to accompany Sinology and walk alongside China, serve as envoys bridging Chinese and other civilizations, and work together to build a bridge of peace and friendship as well as mutual learning and trust.

Liu stated that President Xi Jinping has profoundly noted that the ancient Silk Road stretched thousands of miles and endured for millennia, nurturing the Silk Road spirit with peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit at its core. This spirit guides people to draw strength from civilizational wisdom that connects past and present and links China with the rest of the world. We need to draw on the wisdom of peace and cooperation to jointly meet challenges for win-win outcomes; draw on the wisdom of openness and inclusiveness to jointly promote innovation; draw on the wisdom of mutual learning to jointly advance civilizations; and draw on the wisdom of mutual benefit to jointly create prosperity. Sinology is an important path to understanding Chinese civilization and a window into understanding Chinese modernization. We stand ready to work with sinologists and friends from various sectors around the world to spread Chinese culture, promote friendship between China and other countries, deepen exchanges and mutual learning, jointly implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and contribute civilizational strength to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Hu said that Gansu is an important birthplace of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization and has, for thousands of years, shouldered a special mission of carrying forward Chinese culture and connecting Chinese and other civilizations, contributing wisdom and strength to the flourishing of world civilizations. Gansu will take the conference as an important opportunity to work with sinologists from various countries to build bridges for cultural integration, intellectual convergence, and people-to-people connectivity; to demonstrate the contemporary appeal of Sinology through inheritance and innovation; to highlight its academic appeal through research and interpretation; to showcase its humanistic appeal through exchanges and mutual learning; and to bring out its practical appeal through linking knowledge of the past with understanding of the present. Gansu will continue to draw spiritual nourishment, outstanding development wisdom, and advanced governance concepts from the profound and extensive tradition of Sinology, build consensus through Sinology exchanges, and work together to paint a vivid picture of exchanges and mutual learning among world civilizations and of the prosperity and progress of human civilization.

Foreign participants noted that civilizations shine through exchanges and stagnate through isolation. Chinese civilization has, since ancient times, embraced inclusiveness and mutual learning with other civilizations, complementing one another and jointly advancing human progress. They noted in particular that the series of global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping has provided important wisdom and solutions for the world to address common challenges together. Thun Vathana noted that the success of Chinese modernization has shown that true modernization does not come from mechanically copying foreign models, but from drawing wisdom and strength from a nation’s own excellent traditional culture. All countries need to work with China to jointly implement the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping and turn the shared vision into reality. Rego said that the World Conference of Sinologists aims to promote mutual learning among different civilizations. Sinologists study languages, introduce cultures through translation, and explore civilizations: when unilateral currents spread, they delve into ideas and inspire wisdom; when suspicion and estrangement arise, they disseminate knowledge and dispel misunderstandings; and when bloc confrontation emerges, they build bridges and connect one another. Such efforts are the most genuine ones to safeguard peace. Mulatu Teshome Wirtu said that the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping provides an intellectual foundation to strengthen solidarity among Global South countries. Sinology originated in China but belongs to the world and constitutes a shared spiritual asset of humanity. All parties have a responsibility to promote the development of Sinology and inject new vitality into this ancient discipline.

During the conference, a series of activities were held, including a themed sharing session titled “envoys bridging Chinese and other civilizations,” academic salons for sinologists alongside publishing matchmaking meetings, and a featured experience activity, “be a Chinese for a day.” Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including “shared development: the global significance of Chinese modernization,”“harmony and coexistence: the peaceful genes of Chinese civilization,”“mutual learning among civilizations: dialogue and exchanges in the history of Sinology,” and “innovative governance: the contemporary value of traditional philosophical ideas.” Sinologists said that today’s world needs dialogue rather than confrontation, and understanding rather than prejudice, and that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations constitute a remedy for healing the wounds of the world. Chinese civilization is profound and time-honored and has made unique contributions to human civilization. They expressed their willingness to actively spread Chinese culture and present to the world a real, multi-dimensional and comprehensive China.

Lu Kang, Vice-minister of the IDCPC, presided over the opening ceremony. Lei Dongsheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee and Secretary-General of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee, Li Peixing, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Gansu Provincial People’s Congress, and others attended the opening ceremony.