People-to-people bonds key to 'Belt and Road'
- By Zhao Kejin
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, May 31, 2015
Mutual understanding brings people from different nations closer
Billions of people live in the countries along the "Belt and Road." They abide by different cultures, traditions, national conditions and social conventions, and they have all been subject to conflicts and feuds that have accumulated over time. Bringing such diverse peoples together is anything but easy; it requires patience and a strategy that focuses on the following three concepts.
1. Ethnic reconciliation
There is a so-called "arc of conflict" that sprawls from the Middle East to Southeast Asia. This zone is a hotbed of terrorism, violent extremism and religious fundamentalism, but much of this region also overlaps with the paths of the "Belt and Road." The discussion of how to solve the issues in this zone is still in progress and will allow room for experimentation and exploration of how the "Belt and Road" can bring together different peoples and ethnic groups.
2. Religious dialogue
All countries along the "Belt and Road" have been heavily influenced by different religions. Chinese civilization is an example of this. At various times, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity were all introduced to China, where they merged with local cultures to give birth to Confucianism, Hui culture, and the school of Western Learning. The prosperity of Chinese civilization can in part be attributed to these influences.
In rejuvenating the ancient Silk Road, China should not avoid religious factors but should make the most of them by encouraging dialogues between different religious groups.
3. Public diplomacy
The "Belt and Road" initiatives are among the cooperation initiatives proposed by countries in Asia and Europe, and they are likely to be misinterpreted by other countries that claim that China seeks to expand its sphere of influence by advancing this strategy. This is why China should make the most of its public diplomacy to promote other countries' understanding of the benefits that the "Belt and Road" will bring them.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)