Participants at the symposium
African diplomats to China and renowned African scholars visited the Chinese Archaeological Museum and attended the International Symposium on Deepening Mutual Understanding between Chinese and African civilizations Based on Fine Traditional Culture. The event was held by China-Africa Institute (CAI) on January 25, 2024 at the Chinese Academy of History (CAH) in Beijing.
African diplomats and scholars are visiting Chinese Archaeological Museum
Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and also director of the CAH said at the symposium, “The friendship between China and Africa has a long history. A true understanding of human civilization can not be achieved without studying China and Africa. However, Western countries' text books and history works have long been characterized by ignorance and prejudice toward Chinese and African history. ”
African diplomats and scholars are visiting Chinese Archaeological Museum
Chinese civilization and African civilization share similarity and compatibility, and are both gorgeous flowers blooming the garden of world civilizations. Both Chinese and African people acknowledge the concept of collectivism, peaceful development and opposing to hegemony. It outlined the significance of mutual respect and mutual assistance between the two sides in history, and laid a cultural foundation for inheritance and development of China-Africa friendly cooperation in the new era.
The success of Chinese modernization has proved that human civilization grows with diversity. There is no superiority or inferiority among different civilizations. China and Africa are peers on the path to modernization. The value consensus reached by the two great civilizations will help strengthen mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between the two sides in the new era.
Gao Xiang said, China is making efforts to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, whereas Africa is assuming the major responsibility of realizing regional integration and modernization. The two goals can be integrated with joint efforts towards one common goal, so that the mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations can be injected with connotation of the new era.
The African envoys said at the symposium that they have gained a deeper understanding of Chinese civilizations after visiting the Chinese Archaeological Museum. They stressed the importance of studying history from which we can draw lessons, wisdom and confidence and push forward development. Both China and Africa enjoy profound history, splendid culture and rich heritage, contributing greatly to human advancement.
Although far apart geographically, China and Africa have been keeping close communication, which is a highlight in the history of exchanges among civilizations. The mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations have been deepened ever since the beginning of the 21st Century. Under the framework of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) , China-Africa cooperation has set a good example for enhancing mutual learning among civilizations and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
The African ambassadors expressed their wishes to deepen understanding, promote consensus and strengthen cooperation with China in order to jointly build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future and push forward world peace and global development.
The symposium is attended by 13 African diplomats including H.E Mr. Martin Mpana, Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and Cameroonian Ambassador to China; Ambassador Rahamtalla M. Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, and Professor Nkolo Foé from the University of Yaounde 1, Cameroon.
Participants at the symposium
The Chinese Archaeological Museum is the first national-level professional museum in China established by CAH. On June 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping toured the museum and emphasized the important role of archaeology in understanding the long history of Chinese civilization and appreciating the richness and profoundness of Chinese culture.
（Photo by Dong Jiacheng）