Keynote Speech by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus Zhou Yunliang at Seminar on Mirror of Culture － Enhancing Inter-civilization Dialogue Between China[...]

On December 12, the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus held the Seminar on Mirror of Culture. Mr. Zhou Yunliang, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Embassy, attended and adressed the event. His keynote speech is as follows: 

Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen, 

Today, we gather here to explore the important topic of Enhancing Inter-civilization Dialogue Between China and Cyprus. This brings to mind the ancient Chinese wisdom of "harmony without uniformity" and the Greek maxim "know thyself." 

In 2023, the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus and Cyprus Mail jointly launched the "Mirror of Culture" column, highlighting the parallels between Cypriot and Chinese cultures to set an example of acceptance, respect and understanding. Under this column, this year, a special edition "Dialogue between Civilisations: Harmony & Democracy" was successfully published, in which ten scholars from both countries examined the profound origins of the two ancient civilizations and their journey of mutual understanding, mutual appreciation, and mutual inspiration. Their insights were thought-provoking and widely resonated with readers. Today, I would like to share with you four areas where Chinese civilization and ancient Greek civilization converge. 

First, both civilizations uphold the ethical foundation of virtue. In Chinese civilization, represented by Confucianism, "benevolence" stands at the core of moral philosophy. Confucius emphasized "the benevolent love others," and Mencius taught that "the heart of compassion is the beginning of benevolence." Similarly, ancient Greek philosophy placed "arete" at the center of its moral system. In The Republic, Plato envisioned a city-state governed by justice, while Aristotle, starting from the concept of virtue, explored what constitutes a "beautiful and noble life." 

Second, both civilizations embody the political commitment of putting people first. "The people as the foundation" has long been rooted in Chinese political philosophy. As stated in The Book of Documents, "The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is strong, the state is at peace." Mencius also emphasized that "the people are of vital importance." Ancient Greek civilization pioneered "demokratia", or the rule of the people. It means that citizens have the right to participate in public affairs, laws are expected to reflect the public will, and leaders are accountable to the citizens. 

Third, both civilizations pursue the wisdom of living in harmony with nature. In Chinese civilization, especially in Taoist thought, concepts such as "following the laws of nature" and "unity between humanity and nature" are essential. Confucianism also advocates harvesting from forests in due season, regarding humanity as an integral part of the natural world. In ancient Greece, the Stoic school proposed "living according to nature," emphasizing that a virtuous life aligns with reason and the natural order, ultimately achieving inner peace and harmony with the cosmos. 

Fourth, both civilizations shine with the rational light of the golden mean. The Chinese idea of "zhongyong" (the Doctrine of the Mean) advocates balance, moderation, and appropriateness-an art of navigating complexity with wisdom and restraint. In ancient Greece, Aristotle's doctrine of mesotes echoes the same principle: every virtue lies between two vices. Heraclitus further proposed that "opposites create harmony," recognizing the dynamic balance underlying the nature of the world. 

Friends, 

The resonance between Chinese and ancient Greek civilizations across time and space is no coincidence. Each emerged from unique natural environments and historical conditions, yet both pursued meaning in life, social order, and the essence of the universe. These shared fruits of wisdom, like beacons of light, offer us profound insights that transcend the perspective of any single civilization in an era marked by complexity, uncertainty, and global challenges. 

First, global development must be advanced on the basis of order. Without rules and order, nothing could be accomplished. Today's global instability stems from the fact that some countries choose to selectively apply the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, disregarding fairness and justice. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations founded on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. It must be emphasized that Taiwan's restoration to China is an integral part of the post-war international order. The Cairo Declaration, Potsdam Proclamation, Japan's Instrument of Surrender, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 have all conclusively affirmed-politically and legally-that Taiwan is part of China and Taiwan's status is settled. No country or force will ever be allowed to ignore historical justice or recklessly challenge this fact. 

Second, global development must be guided by good governance. Every country has the right and freedom to explore a development path suited to its national conditions in order to improve the well-being of its people. Recently, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was successfully held, which outlined major goals for China's economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and adopted 12 major tasks. This is a good example to show that China's governance is well-conceived and consistent. The blueprint reflects not only China's vision for the next five years but also the aspirations of over 1.4 billion Chinese people for a better life. It also sends an important signal to the world: China is committed to advancing cooperation and creating new opportunities for shared development. 

Third, global development must follow the principle of harmony between humanity and nature. In fact, humanity and nature share a common future; harming nature ultimately harms ourselves. While industrialization has generated unprecedented material wealth, it has also caused severe ecological damage. China remains committed to a path of modernization in which humanity and nature coexist harmoniously. It has pledged ambitious carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, launched the world's largest afforestation program, and maintained the world's leading position in new energy capacity installation, thus contributing to global sustainable development. 

Fourth, global development must uphold a shared future for humanity. The world is entering a period of turbulence and transformation, marked by rising hegemonism, power politics, unilateralism, and protectionism. How to bring more certainty and stability to such a world is a common challenge for the international community. To this end, we must bear in mind the future of all humanity, uphold peace and development over conflict and confrontation, pursue common security over absolute security, promote win-win cooperation over zero-sum games, and foster dialogue and mutual learning to prevent clashes of civilizations. We need to work together to advance the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative, and join hands to build a community with a shared future for humanity. 

Friends, 

Standing at a new historical starting point, what we need is not civilizational isolation or mutual blame, but deeper dialogue, broader mutual learning, and more practical cooperation. Let us be guided by the wisdom shared by our two ancient civilizations- to bridge differences by peaceful means, enhance governance with virtue, pursue harmony with nature, and face challenges with a balanced approach. Together, let us write a new chapter in the integrated development of human civilizations! Thank you!