Optimizing the Path to the China-Laos Community of Shared Future under the “Global Civilization Initiative”

On March 15, 2023, in his keynote speech titled “Join Hands on the Path Towards Modernization,” President Xi Jinping proposed the “Global Civilization Initiative” (GCI) during the “CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting”. The GCI provides fundamental guidance for promoting the construction of a community of shared future from a civilizational perspective.

Currently, under the guidance of the “Action Plan for Building a China-Laos Community of Shared Future (2024-2028)” between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), the construction of the China-Laos community is progressing steadily. The grand aspiration for “close people-to-people ties and heart-to-heart communication” between the two nations is gradually becoming a reality. However, despite remarkable achievements, there remains room for improvement in areas such as establishing cultural exchange platforms, enhancing mechanisms for people-to-people exchanges, strengthening cultural cooperation, and expanding grassroots exchanges.

Guided by the GCI’s “Four Advocates”, the path to constructing a high-standard, high-quality, and high-level China-Laos community entails the following strategies: 1) Encouraging broader participation by civil society in building cultural exchange platforms, enabling both peoples to appreciate the beauty of civilizational diversity more widely and conveniently; 2) Accelerating the establishment of mechanisms for people-to-people exchanges across a broader range of fields, promoting the recognition of common human values through diverse interactions; 3) Innovating cooperation models in the cultural industries of both countries to enhance the efficiency of civilizational inheritance and innovation; and 4) Increasing channels and opportunities for daily interactions between the two peoples, breaking down stereotypes, eliminating misunderstandings, and consolidating popular support for the China-Laos community of shared future.

1. Encouraging Broader Participation by Civil Society in Cultural Exchange Platforms

Building a high-quality China-Laos community of shared future requires respecting the diversity of world civilizations. Respect for civilizational diversity hinges on enabling people from both countries to access and experience each other’s rich and varied historical cultures more widely and conveniently. This necessitates the creation of broadly appealing cultural exchange platforms. In recent years, under the auspices of the parties and governments of China and Laos, institutions such as the Confucius Institute at the National University of Laos, the Laos-China Cultural Center, and the China-Laos Culture and Tourism Center (under construction) have engaged in localized dissemination strategies, leveraging mass media to conduct various cultural exchange activities in accessible formats and expressions. However, the primary drivers behind these platforms are still government entities. While some Chinese media companies and internet firms have contributed quality platforms for cultural exchange, the potential of civil society remains to be further tapped. The limited participation at present has led to issues such as low public engagement and weak long-tail effects in cultural exchange activities.

Therefore, as the China-Laos community of shared future progresses, the parties and governments of both nations should grant more access and autonomy to civil society, encouraging cultural enthusiasts to independently organize diverse cultural exchange activities. This would help address the shortcomings of current platforms, allowing both peoples to experience each other’s rich and varied cultures more conveniently, thereby appreciating the beauty of civilizational diversity.

2. Accelerating the Establishment of People-to-People Exchange Mechanisms in Broader Fields

Building a high-quality China-Laos community of shared future requires the promotion of common human values. An important way to promote these values is through people-to-people exchanges across broader fields, which not only requires robust cultural exchange platforms but also comprehensive and stable mechanisms.

There are already some high-level people-to-people exchange mechanisms that have been established, which involve cooperation in higher education, Chinese language education, tourism promotion, and medical assistance. These initiatives have significantly enhanced mutual understanding of each other’s history, culture, and ways of living. However, these mechanisms have limitations in scope and reach. For instance, while mechanisms exist in culture, education, tourism, and healthcare, stable mechanisms for exchanges in science, arts, sports, and entertainment are still lacking. This narrow scope restricts the spread and recognition of shared values, as these values are rooted in common and extensive practical activities.

Therefore, to improve the China-Laos community of shared future, we should continue to leverage existing mechanisms while exploring comprehensive mechanisms in broader fields based on thorough research of both countries’ national conditions. This would enable people from both countries to perceive shared values through all-round and multi-field exchanges, ultimately strengthening the understanding and recognition of common human values.

3. Innovating Cooperation Models in Cultural Industries

To build a high-quality China-Laos community, it is essential to enhance the efficiency of civilizational inheritance and innovation. This requires innovative cooperation models in both countries’ cultural industries.

Significant progress has been made in the cultural sector between China and Laos. For instance, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2016, China and Laos co-produced their first film, “Champa Flower,” showcasing Lao culture to Chinese audiences. Additionally, following President Xi’s proposal to translate Asian classics both from and into Chinese at the “Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations” on “Translation of Asian Classics” in 2019, initial achievements have been realized between China and Laos in 2022: Three famous Laotian works, “The Life and Revolutionary Career of President Kaysone Phomvihane,” “The Two Sisters,” and “King Khun Borom,” have been translated and published in China. [Huang Jingwei: “Cultural Exchange Promotes Sino-Laotian Civilizational Mutual Learning,” People’s Daily (Overseas Edition), December 9, 2022.] These collaborative efforts have played a crucial role in consolidating traditional friendship and cultural heritage between the two nations. However, the rapidly evolving global cultural industry has seen the emergence of numerous innovative cultural products that reshape people’s perceptions and acceptance of specific cultures. Although solid steps have been taken in cultural industry cooperation, traditional models dominate, which may not fully meet the new cultural demands or maximize the efficiency of civilizational inheritance and innovation.

Therefore, as the China-Laos community of shared future continues, it is necessary to further innovate cooperation models in cultural industries. This could involve jointly planning exhibitions, creating cultural IPs, organizing regular international tours, producing cross-media cultural products, and leveraging short videos and social media platforms to widely showcase and disseminate the rich cultural heritage of both nations. Such initiatives would not only provide diverse cultural products, but also enhance the efficiency of civilizational inheritance and innovation.

4. Expanding Channels and Opportunities for Daily Interactions

High-quality construction of the China-Laos community of shared future requires promoting close, daily interactions between the people of both countries. Expanding channels and opportunities for such interactions is essential.

The opening of the China-Laos Railway has further facilitated daily exchanges between the two peoples. However, high-frequency, high-intensity exchanges rooted in daily life are still lacking. This results in mutual understanding and recognition largely relying on media reports rather than real-life interactions. Moreover, long-standing negative portrayals by Western media have led to misunderstandings and negative perceptions among some Laotian people about the China-Laos community of shared future, hindering the formation of a broad consensus.

Therefore, future efforts for building the China-Laos community of shared future should not only focus on people-to-people exchange mechanisms, but also on expanding smooth communication channels and opportunities. Policies such as visa facilitation and extended durations of stay could provide frequent and meaningful exchanges in work, study, and daily life. This would help people from both countries break down stereotypes, eliminate misunderstandings, and build a strong popular consensus for the China-Laos community of shared future.

[Authors: Wang Yangyu, Ph.D. candidate at the School of Marxism, Yunnan University; Meng Dawei (Khounvongsa Bounthavy), Ph.D. candidate at the School of Marxism, Yunnan University.]