Strengthen the Exchange of Civilizations to Continue the Thousand-Year Friendship Between China and Afghanistan
加强文明交流互鉴，赓续中阿千年友谊
By Ambassador Wang Yu
驻阿富汗大使王愚
2023年3月22日
22 March 2023
On March 15th, Chinese president Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting and delivered a keynote address called “Join Hands on the Path Toward Modernization”. President Xi expounded China’s understanding of the exploration of modernization and proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocates the respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
3月15日，中国国家主席习近平出席中国共产党与世界政党高层对话会，发表题为《携手同行现代化之路》的主旨讲话，系统阐述了中国关于探索现代化道路的认识，并首次提出全球文明倡议——共同倡导尊重世界文明多样性、弘扬全人类共同价值、重视文明传承和创新、加强国际人文交流合作。
The Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping not only complements the concept of Chinese modernization, but also provides a Chinese solution to answer the question of modernization, promote the process of world modernization, and facilitate the progress of human civilization. This initiative also expresses China’s sincere wish to work with other countries to advance the modernization with national characteristics, promote the exchange and mutual appreciation of global civilizations, and build a community with a shared future for mankind.
习近平主席提出的全球文明倡议，不仅与中国式现代化理念相辅相成、相得益彰，而且为回答现代化之问、推动世界现代化进程、促进人类文明进步提供了中国方案。这一倡议，也表达了中方愿同世界各国一道，推进具有本国特色的现代化事业，促进全球文明交流互鉴，推动构建人类命运共同体的真诚愿望。
President Xi Jinping pointed out: “Around the world, countries and regions have chosen different paths to modernization, which are rooted in their unique and long civilizations. All civilizations created by human society are splendid. They are where each country’s modernization drive draws its strength and where its unique feature comes from. They, transcending time and space, have jointly made important contribution to humanity’s modernization process.”
习近平主席指出：“当今世界不同国家、不同地区各具特色的现代化道路，植根于丰富多样、源远流长的文明传承。人类社会创造的各种文明，都闪烁着璀璨光芒，为各国现代化积蓄了厚重底蕴、赋予了鲜明特质，并跨越时空、超越国界，共同为人类社会现代化进程作出了重要贡献。”
The reason why Chinese modernization works is that it is based on Chinese civilization, rooted in Chinese culture and in line with Chinese national conditions. Therefore, China also encourages and supports Afghanistan’s development along its own trajectory and logic, and sincerely helps the Afghan people explore a modernization path that is in line with their own situation.
中国式现代化之所以走得通，就是因为它立足中华文明、根植中国文化、符合中国国情。因此，中国也鼓励、支持阿富汗沿自身的轨迹和逻辑发展演进，真诚帮助阿方探索出一条符合自身国情的现代化发展道路。
China is willing to work with Afghanistan to mutual respect for the diversity of civilizations. Both China and Afghanistan have suffered from wars, exploitation and plunders in history, both have painful memories of civilizations at risk, and both face the daunting challenge of modernization today. Nowadays, China is following the path of Chinese modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the nation, and Afghanistan is also working for national unity and economic development. In bilateral exchanges, China always respects Afghanistan’s religious beliefs and ethnic customs, supports Afghanistan’s right to independent development, and never ever interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. On international platforms, China has always stood up for Afghanistan and resolutely opposed extraterritorial powers stoking ideological confrontation, and imposing their own values or models on the Afghan people. China is willing to work with the Afghan side on the basis of mutual respect, to jointly promote the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom of humanity, to understand their values with a broad mind and contribute to bilateral relations with civilization consensus.
中国愿与阿富汗相互尊重彼此文明多样性。中阿两国历史上都曾饱经战火磨难、饱受剥削掠夺，都拥有文明一度危在旦夕的惨痛记忆，今天也都面临实现现代化的艰巨挑战。今天的中国正以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，阿富汗也在为实现国家团结、发展社会经济而努力。在双边交往中，中方始终尊重阿富汗的宗教信仰和民族习惯，支持阿方自主发展权利，从不干涉阿方内政。在国际场合，中方始终为阿仗义执言，坚决反对域外大国搞意识形态对抗，将其价值观和模式强加于阿人民。中国愿与阿方在相互尊重的基础上，共同弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由等全人类共同价值，以宽广胸怀理解彼此对价值内涵的认识，以文明共识为双边关系添砖加瓦。
China is willing to work with Afghanistan to achieve civilization transmission and innovation. China and Afghanistan have a long and splendid civilization, and enduring friendship. In the new era, China and Afghanistan should jointly harness the relevance of their histories and cultures to the present times, and push for creative transformation and innovative development of their fine traditional cultures. With the deepening of bilateral relations between China and Afghanistan, more and more Chinese enterprises have come to Afghanistan for investment. During this process, China is willing to work with the Afghan side to jointly guide the companies to strengthen cooperation, fulfill social responsibility, improve people’s livelihood and protect the historical and cultural heritage of the Afghanistan. China is committed to following a balanced development path of economic interests and civilization protection, and making positive contributions to the continuation and promotion of civilization in Afghanistan.
中国愿与阿富汗共同实现文明传承和创新。中阿文明悠久灿烂，两国友谊经久不衰。在新时代，中阿应共同挖掘彼此历史文化的时代价值，推动本国优秀传统文化在现代化进程中实现创造性转化、创新性发展。随着中阿双边关系不断深化，越来越多的中资企业来到阿富汗投资兴业。在经营过程中，中方愿与阿方携手，共同指导两国企业加强合作，履行社会责任、促进民生改善、保护阿历史文化遗产，致力于走经济利益与文明保护的平衡发展路径，为阿方文明延续和弘扬作出积极贡献。
China is willing to work with Afghanistan to strengthen personnel and cultural exchanges and cooperation. In the history of the Silk Road for more than 2,000 years, the cultural blending and civilization exchanges between China and Afghanistan are alive and well. The cultural landscapes, civilization heritage and many ancient relics in Afghanistan are the testimony of the friendship between the two countries, as well as the common spiritual wealth of the two peoples. For a long time, people in various fields such as economy, trade, education and culture have played an important role in promoting personnel and cultural exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries. China would like to continue the thousand-year friendship, continue to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan in various fields, organize various professional and technical training courses to train more talents for the future development of Afghanistan. So that they can become an important force for the development and revitalization of Afghanistan, and jointly promote the development and progress of human civilization.
中国愿与阿富汗共同加强人文交流合作。在丝绸之路两千多年的历史上，中阿两国文化交融、文明互鉴生生不息，阿境内的众多文化景观、文明遗产和古老文物是中阿两国友谊的见证，也是中阿人民的共同精神财富。长期以来，两国经贸、教育、文化等各领域人员作为友好往来的生力军，为推进两国人文交流、促进务实合作发挥了重要作用。中方愿赓续中阿千年友谊，继续与阿方加强各领域合作，举办各类专业技术培训班，为阿未来发展培养更多人才，使其成为阿发展振兴的重要力量，共同推动人类文明发展进步。
President Xi Jinping emphasized: “A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden. As the future of all countries are closely connected, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges, and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernization process and making the garden of world civilizations flourish.” China will continue to advocate the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations, and demonstrate China’s role as a responsible power working to promote peaceful development in the world. China is ready to work together with the Afghan side to promote the Global Civilization Initiative, open up a new prospect of enhanced exchanges and understanding among different peoples and better interactions and integration of diversified cultures, and jointly paint a new picture of the modernization of human society!
习近平主席强调，“一花独放不是春，百花齐放春满园。在各国前途命运紧密相连的今天，不同文明包容共存、交流互鉴，在推动人类社会现代化进程、繁荣世界文明百花园中具有不可替代的作用。”中方将继续倡导平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观，展现中国为促进世界和平发展而努力的负责任大国担当。中方愿同阿方一道，携手推进全球文明倡议，努力开创人文交流、文化交融、民心相通新局面，共同绘就百花齐放的人类社会现代化新图景！