Xi forges stronger bond for SCO with cultural exchanges

BEIJING/ASTANA, July 1 (Xinhua) -- When it was China's turn to hold the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to host his colleagues in Qingdao, a coastal city in China's eastern Shandong Province. The choice has rich cultural implications.

Shandong is home to Confucius and Mencius, two Chinese sages, and the cradle of Confucianism. This ancient Chinese philosophy has significantly influenced many Asian cultures and has profoundly impacted the lives of the Chinese people and their way of thinking.

Xi welcomed the SCO leaders by quoting a famous line from Confucius: "What a joy to have friends coming from afar!"

Xi has long advocated for mutual learning among different cultures and civilizations. Since becoming China's president, he has made cultural interaction a trademark of his diplomacy. For him, the diversity of civilizations sustains human progress. In Qingdao, he first defined his outlook on civilization as comprised of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness.

On many occasions, the Chinese leader also stressed the preservation of traditional culture and inheritance of cultural heritage. In his eyes, historical and cultural heritage is a precious resource that is not renewable.

This photo taken on Sept. 21, 2023 shows the historical sites in the ancient city of Khiva, Uzbekistan. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

During the trip to Uzbekistan in 2013, Xi launched a joint project with the Uzbek side to restore historical mosques and Islamic schools to their glory of yore in the ancient city of Khiva, which was widely hailed as a shining pearl of civilization along the ancient Silk Road. With Xi's continuous attention and support, the project was completed in 2019.

When he visited the Central Asian country again in 2022, Xi presented Uzbek President Mirziyoyev with a miniature of the ancient city as a state gift in celebration of the two countries' joint efforts to restore the cultural heritage of the Silk Road.

Xi regards each civilization as unique, with none being superior to any other. "We should promote mutual learning between our civilizations and enhance good-neighborliness and friendship between our countries. This allows us to enhance public support for the SCO's long-term development."