Hailing the consistency and originality of Chinese culture, Xi emphasised the importance of “a comprehensive and profound understanding” of China’s history, which he said was “essential to promoting a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics more vigorously”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
“It would be impossible to understand ancient China, or modern China, let alone future China, if one does not understand China through the continuity of its long history,” Xi said, adding such continuity showed “on a fundamental level that the Chinese people must follow their own path”.
President Xi Jinping visits the Chinese Academy of History ahead of the symposium. Photo: Xinhua
But Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economics Cooperation, a think tank under the Ministry of Commerce, said the academic article had been over-interpreted.
Xi’s messages at the symposium were of significance because Chinese culture had faced both domestic and external challenges in recent years, Mei said.
“For the first time in thousands of years, [Chinese culture] has been challenged by a strong Western culture with a higher level of economic and social development. This is a challenge common to almost all non-Western latecomer countries,” he said.
He said despite China’s economic rise, the revival of its cultural confidence had not fully kept pace with its national revival.
The dominance of Chinese culture at home is also being challenged by a range of trends, and China is in danger of losing its core culture, according to Mei.
“If such a trend continues, the ultimate result will be the disintegration of the state and society,” he said. “China’s development achievements come from its historical and cultural heritage, and its future success will depend to a large extent on whether it can consciously explore the essence of its historical and cultural traditions and further develop them.”
Mei said the promotion of “cultural self-confidence” and cultural inheritance would be particularly important for aspiring global powers like China.
“China has embarked on the path of restoring the status of its core culture and promoting it, while the United States and other Western countries are intensifying their efforts to promote ‘cultural pluralism’. I believe that in time the consequences of these two different paths of development will become very clear.”
In an article for the Post in April, Beijing’s top diplomat in Hong Kong, Liu Guangyuan, said Xi’s emphasis on the equality of civilisations in his Global Civilisation Initiative had come as the antiquated thesis of a “clash of civilisations” was resurfacing.
“As Xi put it in his speech in March: ‘One will not be seen in a more favourable light by blowing out others’ lamp[s]; nor will they go further by blocking others’ paths,’” Liu said.
South China Morning Post
