By Zhao Qizheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-15 07:11

The diversity of civilization is one of the long-lasting issues in human history. After the word "civilization" appeared in everyday vocabulary starting in the 18th century, it has been defined in various ways, changing remarkably in different countries or by different scholars.

The denotation of civilization is, most probably, an accumulation from the widely diversified practices by people of all ethnic groups in all nations during their own development. Every form of civilization, in history or in our modern times, has been a choice of the common people of their own free will.

Just like biological diversity is a choice of nature, the diversity of civilization is also a result of the development of human society. This diversity is one of the fundamental characteristics of our world although globalization has made our planet much smaller than it was and it will remain so in the foreseeable future.

It is impossible to measure a civilization according to a universal standard, for civilization is an integration of faith, values, way of thinking, lifestyle and many other elements in the minds of people.

A civilization is the soul and life of a nation, inseparable like the genes in human bodies. Any effort to deny or repel the civilization of a nation is to deny or repel the nation itself.

The common nature of different civilizations is the base for a world of harmony, acknowledging the diversity of civilization.

Every civilization values love, tolerance, pursuit of happiness, and ultimate concern for the welfare of human beings. The Christian civilization praises universal fraternity, including love for one's enemy. The Islamic doctrine requires its followers to realize their pains are also painful to others. The Confucius term widely believed in China is "do not do to others as you would not be done by".

These are solid proof that different civilizations have something identical in essence and a dialogue is possible and feasible.

The key for the success of cross-civilization communication is how to deal with the disparities of each other. If we respect the diversity of civilization, the disparities could serve as the source of learning and improvement and the means of achieving common prosperity.

But if we try to inject the concepts or values of one civilization onto another by force, it could end in a tragedy of conflicts, which has been proven by history. It is in the interests of all to respect the diversity of civilization and tolerate the disparities of each other.

The civilization of a nation can be seen in all areas, each bearing the unique characteristic of the nation. Political civilization is a combination of a country's political system, political life and the administrative mode.

In recent years, Chinese political civilization has developed rapidly and it is set to construct a harmonious society and build a harmonious world.

These efforts are based on the concept of he, which is at the core of Chinese traditional culture. In Chinese, he has a rich meaning, including harmony, peace, kindness and tolerance. The concept of world harmony stems from the outlook of the world in the Chinese culture.

It is our firm belief that he could be echoed by the ideas in other civilizations and it is also the common wish of mankind. At least, a harmonious world agrees with the efforts of UNESCO to encourage the coexistence of civilizations and tolerance to each other.

China is making an all-out effort to build a harmonious society.

It puts people first, strives for a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development, tries to guarantee social equity and justice and to achieve honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability and order across the society, so that a harmony is reached among the people as well as between man and nature.

The guidelines stressing people-orientated development with sustainability are called "the Scientific Outlook on Development" in China.

Other crucial parts of Chinese political civilization include furthering political reform, boosting socialist democracy and perfecting the rule of law in the country.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the political and economic system in China, which is different from other countries. The development and achievements in the last several decades have proven that this system is the choice of the people and the most suitable one matching well with the real situation of the country. We hope Chinese political civilization gets more understanding and respect from other civilizations.

A Chinese scholar asked me whether a harmonious world is an ideal of mankind or just a slogan that will never come true? My answer is a harmonious world is a dream of humans, which can be achieved with adequate self-discipline, tolerance and hard work.

Admittedly, harmony has not yet been achieved in our current world with so many conflicts among different countries. But mankind is a species with culture and civilization. It is the ultimate desire of all people to live in peace, as well as love. As long as this desire is cherished, a harmonious world could become a reality.

China has a lot to do to contribute to this grand cause. As a developing country, China should try to develop productivity, modernize the country and build a well-off society.

China will uphold the purpose and principles of the United Nations Charter, observe international laws and universally recognized norms of international relations, and promote democracy, harmony, collaboration and win-win solutions in international relations.

China insists on settling international disputes by peaceful means rather than by war, and work with other countries to safeguard peace and stability in the world.

On environmental issues, China will strengthen cooperation with other countries to take good care of the Earth, the only home of human beings. China follows a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, and it does not engage in an arms race or pose a military threat to any other country.

The author is former minister of the State Council Information Office

(China Daily 11/15/2007 page10)