Globalization today has become an irreversible trend and has sparked more focus on the interaction between various cultures, particularly between that of China and the Arab world.

When it comes to theories of conflicts between civilizations, the Chinese and Arabs converge on one point: Various civilizations should learn to talk to each other on an equal footing and to coexist in harmony.

Tolerance

Chinese and Arab culture share the same values of communication and dialogue between civilizations. Historically, China has always maintained a tolerant attitude toward cultural differences because of its interaction with other cultures. Either through the integration with Buddhism between the 2nd and 7th centuries or between the East and West through the "Silk Road" dating back to the Western Han Dynasty, China has a history of influencing other cultures while at the same time absorbing foreign cultural traits.

Like Chinese culture, Arab culture is also highly tolerant. In the process of formation and development, Arab culture readily absorbs traits found in other cultures. Whether through cultural infiltration of other countries into the Arab world during the Islamic war period or during the "translation movement," Arab culture works much the same way as its Chinese counterpart.

The world today is undergoing rapid development and phenomenal change. The spread of ideas and cultural communication and integration are becoming more frequent. Both China and the Arab world demand respect for diversity and stress the importance of mutual learning. They seek for common ground while shelving cultural differences in an effort to promote the prosperity and progress of human civilization. On November 7, 2009 at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, a speech by Premier Wen Jiabao titled Respect the Diversity of Civilization, in which he emphasized the need for greater inter-cultural dialogue and the exchange of ideas, resonated strongly with the audience and beyond.

Deepening Cooperation

It is imperative for China and the Arab world to continue building bridges through dialogue because both are faced with the challenges of cultural survival and development. Chinese and Arab culture are two of the world's four great civilizations. Geographically, the two belong to Oriental culture and are widely considered to be weaker than Western culture in terms of their modern development. U.S. scholar Samuel Huntington, author of The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, claims that the civilization of China's Confucianism and the Arab's Islam are a major threat to the West and thus should be strategically curbed. Undoubtedly, all kinds of diplomatic measures adopted by the United States and other Western countries vividly prove the so-called "theory of civilization threat" put forward by Huntington.

Against the backdrop of the predominance of Western culture, how to cope with the clashes and influence of other cultures and discover a road suitable for one's own cultural development is an enormous task facing both the Chinese and the Arabs. The common desire for development makes has brought the two sides closer together.

Furthermore, both China and the Arab world need to coordinate during periods of great global strife in an effort to expand international and regional dialogue. The two sides should also work to expand economic cooperation. To expand political, economic and trade cooperation, in-depth and effective cultural exchanges are needed to guarantee the trust of both partners.

Deep Friendship

There is a rich history of communication between China and the Arab world dating back more than 2,000 years. Breathtaking examples of communication between the two sides can be found throughout history. Because of the Silk Road, trade between East and West was made possible and the Chinese and Arabs became ambassadors for their respective civilizations. Islam was introduced in China beginning in the 7th century through cultural exchange, not military means. The two sides have not only enriched the other's material wealth but have also forged strong relations through spiritual ties and the sharing of ideas.

Since the mid 19th century, China and the Arab have stood strong together in the fight against imperialism and colonialism. Persistent mutual support has deepened the friendship between China and its Arab friends. In the 21st century, the two sides have created a variety of means to communicate at different levels on issues of politics, economy, trade and culture. The Chinese-Arab Friendship Association was founded in 2001, the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum launched in 2004, the China-Arab Civilization Dialogue began in 2005 and the China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum were created in 2010. All of outlets have not only facilitated dialogue between the two but have paved the way for mutual understanding.

Religious, academic and trade exchanges between Arab missionaries and Chinese pilgrims flourished in ancient times. In the late Qing Dynasty the modus operandi was to "interpret Islam with Confucianism." Today, grassroots exchanges in trade, culture and education are becoming the norm.

Shoulder-to-Shoulder Development

The exchange between Chinese and Arab civilizations sets a good example for the rest of the world. Today, cultural diversity has become an undeniable reality. Strengthening cultural diversity ensures the coexistence of various cultures to conduct in-depth dialogue between difference civilizations.

China and a number of Arab countries continue to develop and both have strong regional and international influence. History and reality have shown that China and the Arab world share the same values concerning dialogue and cultural interaction.

In today's globalized world, China and the Arab world must continue to maintain and strengthen the flow of cultural communication. Doing so would ensure the cultural survival and development for both and increase their influence on the world stage. Close cooperation between the two civilizations has also set an example for non-Western cultures. Respecting cultural diversity and promoting cultural exchange is the path the world must take for the harmonious development of human civilization.

The Chinese and Arab world's emphasis on inter-civilization communication will help build bridges between various cultures, an absolute must for the progress of humanity. Both sides advocate openness, tolerance and mutual understanding and oppose conflicts among civilizations while recognizing differences in culture and social values. Ties between the two great civilizations will continue to grow and become more in-depth. Through their bonds, the Chinese and the Arab people will undoubtedly contribute to the greater prosperity of humanity.