China-India Dialogue on Civilizations Held in Beijing

China-India Dialogue on Civilizations, organized by the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (China National Academy of Governance), was held in Beijing on July 10, 2024. The dialogue engaged participants from both countries in discussions on topics ranging from “History and Experience of the Exchanges and Mutual Learning Between Chinese and Indian Civilizations,” “Tradition and Modernity of Chinese and Indian Civilizations” and “Eastern Civilizations and a Human Community with a Shared Future.” The goal is to strengthen exchanges between Chinese and Indian civilizations and promote Eastern civilization.

Participants believed that the exchanges between Chinese and Indian civilizations set a model in history, with much valuable experience, such as equal exchanges, mutual learning, circular communication, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and reciprocity. Both countries attach great importance to the integration of change and continuity, and of material civilization and spiritual civilization in their modernization. They recognize multiple ways to achieve modernization while independently exploring development paths suited to their own national conditions. China and India, important representatives of Eastern civilization, share an outlook on civilization. In addition, they acknowledge the concept of global community, and value the universal connection beyond values and individual lives. These ideologies have relevance for improving international relations and global governance.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the 100th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to China. Nearly 50 experts and scholars from universities and research institutes in China and India attended the dialogue. They came from China National Academy of Governance, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi, and the Institute of Chinese Studies.