Amid the transformation of the international order, inheriting the spirit of the Silk Road and implementing the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China are key pathways to achieving harmonious coexistence among nations and advancing human civilization, a German cultural scholar said on Tuesday.
Alfred Hornung -- a member of Academia Europaea and director of the Obama Institute at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany -- spoke at the two-day 2025 International Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilizations being held in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
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Hailing the Silk Road -- an ancient trade route connecting multiple civilizations in Asia, Europe and Africa -- as a model of cultural exchange, he noted that the significance of this network transcends commerce, serving as a multifaceted connection for cultural, artistic and economic interactions.
The network embodies universal values that surpass cultural and ethnic boundaries, he said, adding that it has also influenced the establishment of multilateral relations among nations.
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Hornung said the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China represent an inheritance and enhancement of the Silk Road spirit, while the ideas of Confucius serve as the core symbolic representation of the initiatives’ cultural values.
As the Donald Trump administration has abandoned its traditional foreign affairs relations and the ideals of its founders, China’s leadership is fulfilling its core mission of advancing the supreme transnational cultural endeavor of building a community of shared future for mankind.
The United States has ended its year-long practice of diversity, equality and inclusion, and China’s Global Civilization Initiative offers a strong counter response.
Hornung believes this is a form of updating Confucius’ intentions for the 21st century to realize the harmonious, interpersonal relationships and harmonious world community in a safe environment.
