Exchange and Mutual Learning between Civilizations

Exchange and Mutual Learning between Civilizations

"Civilizations have come in different colors, and this diversity has made exchange and mutual learning among civilizations relevant and valuable," said President Xi. Contrasting histories, national conditions, and customs globally have birthed different civilizations, each possessing unique charm and heritage of unmatched depth. China considers all civilizations equal and has modestly sought to understand other civilizations. President Xi once illustrated the diversity with a metaphor: "The Chinese people are fond of tea and Belgians love beer. To me, the moderate tea drinker and passionate beer lover represent two ways of understanding life and knowing the world, and I find them equally rewarding. When good friends get together, they may want to drink to their hearts' content to show their friendship. They may also choose to sit down quietly and drink tea while chatting about their lives."

Diversity of civilizations demands exchange and mutual learning among them because they are essential to development. Through exchange and learning, the Chinese civilization continues to draw on the strengths of others and grow stronger. While embracing diversity, China has presented basic principles for exchange and mutual learning among civilizations that advocate different civilizations learning from each other and making progress together — to utilize exchange among civilizations as a source of inspiration for advancing all of human society and bonds that maintain world peace.

文明交流互鉴

习近平指出：“文明是多彩的，人类文明因多样才有交流互鉴的价值。”世界基于不同历史、国情、习俗等因素孕育出不同文明，各有独特魅力和深厚底蕴，中国始终秉持平等、谦虚的态度了解各种文明的真谛。习近平曾做过这样一个比喻：“正如中国人喜欢茶而比利时人喜爱啤酒一样，茶的含蓄内敛和酒的热烈奔放代表了品味生命、解读世界的两种不同方式。但是，茶和酒并不是不可兼容的，既可以酒逢知己千杯少，也可以品茶品味品人生。”

文明的多样性决定了文明交流互鉴的必然性。交流互鉴是文明发展的本质要求。中华文明正是在同世界文明的交流互鉴中不断博采众长，发展壮大。在承认世界文明多样性的基础上，中国提出了文明交流互鉴的基本原则，倡导不同文明要取长补短、共同进步，让文明交流互鉴成为推动人类社会进步的动力、维护世界和平的纽带。