Benevolence and Friendliness Towards Neighboring Countries
The original quote from Zuo's Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Zuo Zhuan) reads, "To be benevolent and friendly towards neighboring countries is a fundamental policy a country should pursue." Practicing benevolence and kindness towards neighboring countries is considered a state treasure. The ancient Chinese believed that treating others with kindness and friendliness would inspire reciprocal behavior. Chinese people have always cherished peace and advocated benevolence over hegemony or the use of force. For millennia, ancient China was more advanced than the rest of the world, yet it rarely embarked on expansionist expeditions against neighboring countries. Most of the time it maintained a policy of pacification and friendship with its neighbors. For this reason, the highly developed civilization of ancient China facilitated a wide range of long-lasting political, economic, and cultural exchange with many countries and regions that left a profound mark on human history and civilizational interaction.
The same civilizational trait was passed on to contemporary China. China's diplomacy has always aligned with that of every peace-loving country, recognizing a shared destiny and advocating helping neighbors in need and promoting civilizational intermingling through peaceful dialogue.
亲仁善邻
亲仁善邻出自《左传·隐公六年》，原文是“亲仁善邻，国之宝也”，意为亲近仁义之道，与邻国友好相处，这是国家的宝贵财富。中国古人认为，以仁爱、友善的态度对待他人的人，也能够受到对方同样的对待。中华民族历来爱好和平，主张以仁义之道对待其他国家的“王道”，反对以武力进行征伐的“霸道”。在这种理念之下，中国虽然在古代曾经长期领先于世界，却很少主动向周边国家实行征伐扩张， 而是以安边为本、睦邻为贵。正因如此，古代中国以其高度发达的文明成就、仁爱友善的交往之道吸引了世界上很多国家和地区主动来华，开展长时段、大规模的政治、经济、文化交流活动，构成了人类文明交往史上的华丽篇章。
当代中国同样延续了这样的文明基因。与邻邦之间命运与共、守望相助，与不同文明之间交流交融、和平对话，是当代中国外交一贯的主张和做法，也是世界热爱和平的国家一致认同的理念。
