Global Civilization Initiative and mutual learning among civilizations

In a scenario in which unprecedented changes in the last hundred years and the COVID-19 pandemic overlap, the world is faced with a succession of security challenges, the world economy is in the early stages of its recovery and global development suffers setbacks. As the world faces important choices between peace and war, growth and recession, openness and isolation, cooperation and confrontation, expectations are rising all over the world for strength through unity and deepening cooperation based upon dialogue and communication to outline the path for improving global governance and multilateralism.

In terms of humanity’s common values, there is a need for rescuing and strengthening the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence, which are the basic norms of international coexistence, including mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, in addition to the specifically stated peaceful coexistence.

Seeking for a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable vision is paramount for the peaceful development of our civilization, as humanity desperately needs dialogue to maintain peaceful co-existence and to survive.

In this sense, General Secretary Xi Jinping introduced three key initiatives for humanity’s modernization process and building a community of a shared future for mankind in the last three years, including the Global Development Initiative (GDI) on September 21, 2021, the Global Security Initiative (GSI) on April 21, 2022 and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) on March 15, 2023.

These global initiatives comprise the basis of diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

The Global Development Initiative (GDI) was proposed to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for everyone by 2030, calling for a more balanced global development, and foster a global community of development with a shared future under the spirit of openness and inclusiveness.

The Global Security Initiative (GSI) consists of the pursue of six commitments, including the commitment to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; abiding by the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter; taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously; peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation; and maintaining security in both traditional and nontraditional domains.

The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) focuses on respect for the diversity of civilizations, formulating people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, upholding the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, as well as exploring paths towards modernization.

These Chinese global initiatives present a solution based on cohesion to bring peace and stability to the world, focusing on development, building consensus to promote global sustainability, focusing on innovation to foster mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, with a spirit of openness, enhancing the partnership of developing countries in search of strengthening.

In other words, these global initiatives contribute to working together on poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 and vaccines, financing for development, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy, connectivity, pursue of justice, exploring new approaches to improve the global security governance system, upholding openness and inclusiveness as its principle, developing and intensifying people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

As a country with an ancient culture that has increasingly expanded its influence in the world through political mechanisms, cultural and interpersonal exchanges, in addition to trade and investment, among the actions for greater integration with the world, China also launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, the basis for the three global initiatives. The BRI is an umbrella initiative imbued with the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusion, as well as learning and mutual benefits for greater coordination of policies for strengthening the interconnectedness of infrastructure, free trade, financial integration and understanding among nations.

Considered as a new model of win-win cooperation, the BRI brings the concepts and guiding principles of China's domestic development and its relationship with the rest of the world, according to the Chinese Communist Party's orientation, in an effort to establish new partnerships for mutual benefit and building a community of a shared future.

There are countless challenges for the construction and development of a harmonious relationship among nations and, in this sense, the BRI, as well as the GCI, in this melting pot of different nations and cultures around the world, are milestones to strengthening multilateralism.

In addition to promoting public policies for its domestic development, China has also broadened the basis for strengthening multilateralism, engaging civilizations to improve dialogue, rethink globalization and establish terms and conditions for a fairer and more equitable global governance. The need to build a global community with a shared future is unquestionable, promoting multilateral dialogues and establishing new policy initiatives to shape the future for mankind.

It should be noted that true and genuine multilateralism cannot be resolved simply by bilateral cooperation, but built through plurilateral agreements and alliances, so that increased social prosperity can finally be achieved.

However, efforts to create a global community with a shared future must overcome the structural challenges related to climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial crisis and cybersecurity – and this cannot be resolved through current multilateral systems alone - although these systems are extremely important, as these international platforms and independent bodies have achieved important victories.

As an example, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the total use of of the multilateral system by its members (aid from multilateral organizations) was of 44,767,128 (USD in millions) in 2019. Nonetheless, due to substantial changes in the economic, demographic and political status, especially from emerging countries, the current multilateral systems such as International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international platforms and international institutions, must be reformed to better meet global challenges.

The development of a set of principles to be discussed globally to reach a final consensus can be done after analyzing the views, perspectives and opinions of different actors from different regions and experiences around the world, enriching the established public policy proposals for an inclusive perspective and sustainable multilateralism, always putting people's lives first, that is, a people-centered approach.

There is a wide range of topics to look at, including a focus on well-being and equality; the adoption of diversified policies; sharing of burdens and cooperation; legitimacy and responsibility, including minorities; non-aggression policies to achieve transnational goals; balance and synergy between multilateral agreements and national policies; and multilateralism based on the interaction between government, business, academia and civil society.

From the perspective of each country to uphold “true multilateralism”, there are various types of remedies to be implemented domestically to help build a global community with a shared future, including, but not limited to improving governance capacity; continued efforts related to internal reforms and openness policies; mindset for innovation-driven growth; green economy perspective for energy production and consumption; development of a law-based country, government and society; promoting equity and social justice; eliminating poverty and accelerating development in impoverished areas; better and fairer education, accelerating the development of housing security and supply; safeguarding social stability; the search for peaceful development; diplomacy based on friendship, sincerity, reciprocity and inclusion; work hand in hand for common development; maintenance and joint development of an open world economy; historical wisdom for combating corruption and defending integrity.

Efforts to achieve a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and the call for rebalancing global governance must be made by countries hand in hand for mutually beneficial cooperation and development not only in the governmental sphere, but also in the business, academic and civil society, always respecting the principles of wide consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.

Civilizations need to jointly explore new measures for “win-win” cooperation, sharing new achievements in global development through the promotion of multilateralism; promoting development focused on innovation, deepening reforms and facilitating the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, overcoming ideological differences and respecting different social systems, always seeking the path of development and peaceful coexistence, because in the end “our true nationality is humanity.”

Following President Xi Jinping's speech at the BOAO Asia Forum Annual Conference on April 20, 2021, addressing the challenge of overcoming adversity towards a global community with a shared future, he emphasizes that "By setting sail together, we could ride the wind, break the waves, and brave the journey of ten thousand miles. We may at times encounter stormy waves and dangerous rapids, but as long as we unite our efforts and keep to the right direction, the giant vessel of human development will stay on an even keel and sail toward a brighter future".

In other words, although the project of open dialogue and multilateral exchange for a shared common future may face several challenges during its execution, the struggle for multilateralism focused on the people must be carried out through the effective commitments among countries, so that the ideas contained in the speech and the letter of intent can be materialized and, thus, the terms of the agreement respected and fulfilled, guaranteeing, in the end, the “win-win” solution.

In this sense, the perspective of the philosophy of governance of China is the practice of true multilateralism, with a “win-win” cooperation at the heart of the Chinese foreign policy, through the construction of a more balanced world allied to the development and maintenance of peace.

Chinese foreign policy is based on respect for the set of norms inherent in international relations, known as "The Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence", and these principles are the pillars of the GCI.

It is worthwhile to highlight that implementing the GCI and jointly exploring a path to modernization could not be more appropriate, especially now that the reform of global governance, the struggle to have a truly inclusive multilateralism and the joint efforts to build a community with a shared future have been daily debated and constructed in order to reach a fair, equitable, peaceful and global order built upon the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, mutual respect, and love for Mother Earth.

It is undeniable that the need for dialogue to find a global solution has become an increasingly important tool in the information orientation process.

The discussions about (i) adhering to the concept of fairness and justice, maintaining the multilateral international pattern, (ii) promoting economic transformation, deepening inclusive and balanced development, (iii) deepening think tank cooperation, gathering consensus on modernization, and (iv) adhering to mutual learning among civilizations, jointly promoting stable and far-reaching development are the backbone debates for the development of the world.

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 exchange and cooperation deepens inclusive and balanced development, exploring common criteria and procedures, gradually forging consensus, promoting the establishment of broader partnerships and facilitating common development and prosperity on a larger scale.

The GCI is based on beneficial cooperation and equal respect, openness and inclusion, meaning that all people and sectors should benefit from economic development and growth, including rural populations, women, youth, and people with disabilities.

Moreover, the GCI should continue to emphasize the importance of science and education, as well as the innovation-driven development strategy.

As well stated by President Xi Jinping during the first session of the 14th Chinese National People’s Congress in March 2023, there is a need to transform and upgrade industries, promote coordinated urban-rural and regional development, make further efforts to build a green and low-carbon economy and society, and effectively upgrade the quality and appropriately expand the output of the economy.

The GCI contributes to a united, equal, balanced and inclusive world, and totally disagrees with the “small yard and high fence” strategy.

Given Chinese foreign policy based upon the GCI, there is great potential, to boost its development and contribution to the world, promoting in commercial, political, scientific and cultural areas, as well as playing a central role in global efforts to halt climate change and a key role in innovation, inclusiveness and sustainable global development.

It is important to highlight that this comprehensive diplomatic relationship is based on friendship and trust, through pragmatism and flexibility, including establishing policies aimed at the development of developing countries, in a process of sustainable reindustrialization and innovative-driven technologies.

It is necessary to expand the comprehensive strategic partnership by China in this new era, given the new opportunities for cooperation, especially in sustainability, innovation, and technology, during this process of building a common future shared with all of humanity.

Definitely, it is a time of new investments and new partnerships through a model of solidarity, cooperation and joint development, inaugurating a new era for diplomatic relations, and pushing the partnership to a new level, generating new contributions to the promotion of people-to-people exchanges, regional and global prosperity, and stability.

Contributed by José Ricardo dos Santos Luz Júnior, Co-Chairman & CEO of LIDE China (Business Leadership Group China).