In recent years, China has been at the forefront of leading global initiatives targeted at creating sustainable peace and prosperity.
At a time when the entire world is in difficult moments, especially with economies recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine crisis, China has stepped up, as expected of the second-largest economy in the world, and provided concrete gateways that are workable and could lead to global peace and stability.
When you track some of the new global initiatives launched by China, it suffices to say that the world could need and indeed needs a new paradigm different from the current status quo of confrontation and unnecessary antagonism, a paradigm shift that China is currently offering.
Let’s track and understand how China is stepping up to provide the leadership the world desperately needs to create sustainable peace and growth.
Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
The need for cooperation, unity and communication is greater than ever as nations around the world grapple with similar issues as they work to find peace and progress and explore modernisation.
However, the ingrained issues of mistrust, discord and conflict continue to obstruct global cooperation.
In 2021, China introduced the Global Development Initiative and followed it up in 2022 with the Global Security Initiative.
H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, introduced the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in a keynote speech at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting in March 2023.
This makes the GCI the third of such global initiatives spearheaded by China, providing a new positive paradigm shift in thinking about security that puts more emphasis on cooperation than on alliances and on communication than on fighting and confrontation.
We have already witnessed the Global Security Initiative in practice, judging from the historic deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran brokered by China. No arms were raised, no sanctions imposed, but only dialogues and extensive consultations. A peaceful Middle East means a peaceful world for all. This sets the stage for a new and more effective alternative to resolving conflicts around the world.
China’s steadfast resolve to create a community with a shared future for humanity is reflected in the three Global Initiatives of Civilization, Security, and Development.
These great ideas and activities are supported by China’s 5,000-year civilisation, which fosters the advancement of ongoing theoretical innovation while contributing to the development of current civilisational ideals and conceptions.
The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in practice
The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) is a sincere appeal to the entire world for extensive inter-civilisational communication and exchanges to promote human civilisations through inclusivity and mutual learning.
It encompasses four key pillars: respect for the diversity of civilisations, advocating the common values of humanity, highly valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilisations, and jointly advocating robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
Major country rivalries are intensifying, geopolitical conflicts are worsening, changes not seen in a century are happening quickly, the global security governance system is woefully behind, and new conventional and unconventional security threats are constantly emerging, making our world anything but peaceful.
The GCI includes not only the fundamental ideas and precepts of how various civilisations can live in harmony and learn from one another, but also the source of inspiration and a realistic route to manifestation.
It is a sizable initiative that is extremely beneficial, practical and long-lasting. It promotes tolerance for diverse civilisations and supports their right to progress, fully satisfying the pressing demands of the global community. Since its inception, it has displayed strong vitality, inspiring positive reactions in the global community.
The GCI is a sincere response to countries’ shared ambitions for preserving the equality, inclusivity, and diversity of world civilisations.
Diversity of civilisation
Tolerance, peaceful coexistence, exchanges, and mutual learning among other civilisations, all contribute significantly to the modernisation of humanity and the flourishing of the global civilisational garden.
This pillar speaks to the true essence of upholding the principles of equality and mutual respect for different civilisations and ushering in cultural exchanges without any prejudice about the superiority of one civilisation over the other.
This fully satisfies the pressing demands of the global community by promoting respect for all civilisations and supporting their rights to development.
China’s desire is to collaborate with all nations in pursuing modernisation while preserving the unique characteristics of each nation, as well as promote global inter-civilisational exchanges and mutual learning for the growth of human civilisations.
Common values of humanity
The modernisation of humanity has once again come to a turning point in its history. The Cold War mindset is still lingering, the development gap is expanding, the natural environment is worsening, and the global economic recovery is still sluggish.
Reversing these phenomena and creating peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom are the common aspirations of all peoples.
Countries must maintain an open mind when recognising how different civilisations interpret values and abstain from imposing their own ideals or models on others, or inciting ideological conflict.
Inheritance and innovation of civilisations
This pillar advocates for countries to push for the creative transformation and innovative development of their exquisite traditional cultures. They must fully utilise the relevance of their histories and cultures to the present.
Tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among other civilisations play an indispensable role in promoting humanity’s modernisation process because the futures of all countries are interconnected.
People-to-people exchanges
It has become even more essential to step up inter-civilisational exchanges for closer people-to-people connectivity.
In order to foster understanding and friendship between the citizens of all nations and jointly advance the development of human civilisations, countries must investigate the creation of a global network for inter-civilisational dialogue and cooperation, enrich the content of exchanges, and expand avenues of cooperation.
The GCI is, therefore, a logical reaction to the global community’s need for increased inter-civilisational communication and exchanges as well as more robust cultural growth.
Drawing boundaries based on ideology and beliefs, dividing people, and inciting conflict only serves to devastate the planet and defile civilisations.
In order for humanity to benefit from the best of all civilisations, we need a thorough understanding of the history and foundations of each one in order to foster the growth of human society and the creation of a human community with a common destiny.
We need practical tools to overcome obstacles, and cultural and ethical resources to draw strength from in order to meet our shared global challenges.
The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) could become the catalyst for promoting dialogue between civilisations, which will eventually advance the harmonious development of the world and create sustainable peace and shared prosperity.
About the author
Paul Frimpong is a development economist, top voice on Sino-Africa relations, and an award-winning entrepreneur.
He’s currently the Founder and Executive Director of the Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory.
The Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory is a Sino-African research and policy think tank and advisory firm headquartered in Accra, Ghana.
www.africachinacentre.org | [email protected]
