Chinese FM calls for exchanges, dialogue among civilizations

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday chaired the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Ancient Civilizations Forum, calling for exchanges and dialogue among civilizations.

Foreign Ministers from Bolivia, Armenia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Peru and Egypt joined the meeting during the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Wang said exchanges and dialogue among civilizations can help people learn from history, inspire the future through exchanges and mutual learning, transcend disputes and contradictions, find the key to solving current challenges, and consolidate the basis for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd, left) chairs the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Ancient Civilizations Forum, on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, in New York. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

He called on the participating nations, which boast civilizations of thousands of years, to enhance self-confidence in their own civilizations, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and contribute wisdom to solving their own problems and the problems of the modern world.

The foreign ministers exchanged views on strengthening communication among cultures and civilizations, and reached a four-point consensus.

Firstly, they agreed that diverse countries, ethnic groups and civilizations should respect each other and treat each other as equals; stay open, inclusive and learn from each other, and oppose all forms of xenophobia and discrimination in different civilizations.

They further agreed to strengthen dialogue and exchanges among different civilizations and to seek solutions to modern problems from ancient civilizations.

Thirdly, they would firmly support multilateralism, safeguard the hard-won achievements of civilization, firmly support the international system with the United Nations at its core, and maintain an international order based on international law.

Finally, they also agreed to promote pragmatic cooperation at the forum, further strengthen the forum's communication with other international institutions and multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and expand the influence and visibility of the forum.

The meeting adopted a Joint Press Statement of the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Ancient Civilizations Forum.

The ministers expressed appreciation for China's chairmanship of the meeting and anticipation for the third ministerial meeting of the forum to be held in Beijing in October.