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The Global Civilization Initiative: Advocate Cultural Mutual Respect & Mutual Learning, Promote Civilization Prosperity & Progress

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By H.E. Wang Lixin, Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives.

In today’s world, multiple challenges and crises are intertwined. The global economic recovery remains sluggish, the development gap keeps widening, the ecological environment is deteriorating, and the cold war mentality is lingering. Once again, the international community has reached a historical crossroads. Confronted with the questions of the world, the history and the era, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative last March after presenting the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. Through these initiatives, China has made its own devotion to the international community to cope with the common challenges and helped build strong support for the promotion of the community with a shared future for mankind.

Since then, the Global Civilization Initiative has drawn extensive warm response from the international community which highly appreciates the great leadership and strategic vision of President Xi Jinping as the leader of a major country and believes that it is another public goods of great significance provided by China to the international community, bringing hope to the world fraught with crises and challenges.
The core concepts of the Global Civilization Initiative are to advocate the respect for the diversity of civilizations, advocate the common values of humanity, advocate the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and advocate robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

The Global Civilization Initiative advocates that countries need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority. This reflects China’s outlook on civilization in working with other countries to promote the concept that each country has its own beauty and beauties of all countries should be cherished and respected by all.

As a Chinese saying goes, “Without achieving the good of one hundred various schools, the uniqueness of one individual cannot be achieved.” Since ancient times, people of all countries have created unique and colorful cultures through their hard work. We should draw wisdom and nourishment from various civilizations and provide spiritual support and psychological consolation for the people, so as to overcome the challenges facing mankind by joint efforts.

The Global Civilization Initiative maintains that peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom are the common aspiration of all peoples. Countries need to keep an open mind in appreciating the perceptions of values by different civilizations, and refrain from imposing their own values or models on others and from stoking ideological confrontation. This shows China’s clear vision and strong determination to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Pride and prejudice are two biggest obstacles to exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. In today’s world, all countries are closely connected and we share a common future. Conflicts can only erode achievements of human society’s development. Seeking common ground while reserving differences is the sustainable path towards world progress.

The Global Civilization Initiative calls for countries to fully harness the relevance of their histories and cultures to the present times, and push for creative transformation and innovative development of their fine traditional cultures. This shows China’s attitude to take the responsibilities as a major country to promote the progress of human civilization. With a history of 5000 years, China understands well that the historical heritage and its creative development are of vital importance to the future of a country. The secret of the continuous and flourishing development of civilization is to draw traditional wisdom, endow it with connotation of the current era and develop it creatively in practice.

The Global Civilization Initiative is aimed to explore the building of a global network for inter-civilization dialogue and cooperation, enrich the contents of exchanges and expand avenues of cooperation to promote mutual understanding and friendship among people of all countries and jointly advance the progress of human civilizations. This reflects China’s pragmatic action and open mind to share its development fruits with all people in the world. Friendship, which derives from close contacts between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. People-to-people and cultural exchanges have always been an important bridge for mutual understanding and communication between countries and peoples. Greater exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can further enrich the colors of various civilizations and the cultural life of people, and open up even greater alternatives in the future.

As friendly neighbors in Asia, both China and the Maldives belong to the centuries-old and brilliant Asian civilization. The exchanges between the two civilizations date back to ancient times. As early as over 600 years ago, Zheng He, the great Chinese navigator, led merchant ships to visit the Maldives twice, which spread the Chinese civilization, enhanced the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples and initiated the history of exchanges and integration of our two civilizations, which has become an important part of the ancient Silk Road. Today, the Silk Road Spirit, featuring peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefits and win-win results, still illuminates the road ahead for China-Maldives relations and provides rich nourishment to the friendship between the two countries and two peoples from generation to generation. It has become an inexhaustible driving force for us to create a better future.

Civilization is colorful because of communication, and civilization is diversified because of mutual learning. China is willing to work with the Maldives to take the opportunity of promoting the Global Civilization Initiative and take it as a driving force of carrying forward the spirit of the Silk Road to jointly create a bright future for the modernization of our two countries, so as to write a brilliant chapter of China-Maldives future-oriented all-round friendly and cooperative partnership.

 

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Hamas plans to suspend Gaza ceasefire negotiations if Israel attacks Rafah

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Hamas said on Wednesday that ceasefire negotiations with Israel would be suspended if Israel attacks the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, said in an interview with Lebanon-based al-Manar TV that Hamas would halt all indirect negotiations with Israel if it launches military operations against Rafah.

Accusing Israel of seeking “to blackmail all the parties by its threats of attacking Rafah,” the official said “the resistance is still having its power to defend our people.”

On Monday, a Hamas delegation left Cairo and said they would return with a written response to the latest truce proposal.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on his seventh visit to the Middle East, on Wednesday urged Hamas to accept the truce deal which would see 33 hostages released in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners and a halt to the fighting, with the possibility of further steps towards a comprehensive deal later.

“Israel has made very important compromises,” he said. “There’s no time for further haggling. The deal is there. They (Hamas) should take it.”

A senior Hamas official said on Wednesday that Hamas was still studying the proposed deal but said Israel was the real obstacle.

Israel is holding off sending a delegation to Cairo for follow-up truce talks, pending a response from Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, an Israeli official told Reuters.

Israel’s military chief of staff Herzi Halevi on Wednesday said that the country’s offensive operation in Gaza “will continue with strength” and that Israel was “preparing for an offensive in the north.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that Israel will enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalions there “with or without” a deal with Hamas.

With an Israeli ground operation in Rafah on the horizon, United Nations (UN) aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Tuesday that Israeli improvements to aid access in Gaza “cannot be used to prepare for or justify a full-blown military assault on Rafah.”

More than one million people face famine after six months of the conflict, the UN has said.

As night fell on Wednesday, Israeli planes and tanks pounded several areas across Gaza, residents and Hamas-linked media said.

Medics in Gaza said at least 27 Palestinians were killed in strikes on Wednesday, with others likely hurt or killed in areas they were unable to reach.

To speed the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, the U.S. military has so far constructed over 50 percent of a maritime pier that will be placed off the coast of Gaza, according to the Pentagon.

However, U.S. lawmakers have questioned whether the pier is a worthwhile endeavor. On the one hand, it will cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days; on the other hand, the U.S. military personnel could become targets of Hamas militants, Republican Senator Roger Wicker told Reuters.

Source(s): CGTN

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Solih reassures MDP dedication to protecting workers’ rights

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Former President and Advisor of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed the party’s commitment to safeguarding workers’ rights.

In a post on social media, Solih extended his congratulations to all Maldivian workers on International Labour Day, highlighting the advocacy of MDP for crucial policies like safeguarding workers’ rights and implementing a minimum wage. He also assured that the party remains dedicated to upholding the rights of workers

The world celebrates International Labour Day annually on May 1.

Source(s): PsmNews

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Efforts underway to limit Hajj pilgrimage rates

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Maldives Hajj Corporation (MHC) has initiated significant steps to substantially lower the prices of Hajj pilgrimage trips, aligning with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s presidential pledge to reduce costs for travellers from Maldives.

In a post shared on social media, Managing Director Mohamed Shakeel announced the establishment of the “Hajj Fund,” aimed at reducing pilgrim expenses while creating income-generating opportunities for the corporation, thus strengthening its financial stability. He underscored that efforts are currently underway to minimise Hajj trip costs, with an increase in real estate investments.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed affirmed that restructuring the Hajj Corporation would substantially decrease Hajj pilgrimage rates. He further emphasised the Ministry’s proactive measures under the new administration to address this issue. This year, the Hajj Corporation has disbursed USD 4,537 with over 7,000 individuals on the waiting list. The government has officially allocated 100 quotas to the Maldives to mitigate the waiting list and alleviate high pilgrimage costs incurred.

Minister Shaheem stated that if additional quotas are to be granted, private entities will be engaged in organising pilgrimage trips, adhering to the list compiled by the Hajj Corporation.

Source(s): PsmNews

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