The opening ceremony of the 4th Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations is held in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, April 16, 2025. More than 100 experts, scholars, and diplomatic envoys from China and African countries gathered Wednesday in Ismailia Governorate, northeast of Egypt, to share insights and reflections from Ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

CAIRO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 experts, scholars, and diplomatic envoys from China and African countries gathered Wednesday in Ismailia Governorate, northeast of Egypt, to share insights and reflections from Ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges.

Hosted by the China-Africa Institute at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Suez Canal University of Egypt, the 4th Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations featured three sub-forums focusing on the mutual learning of governance experience in ancient Chinese and African civilizations, urban and rural governance in the process of modernization, and archaeological cooperation and cultural relics' protection.

With the theme of "the modern value of classical wisdom -- insights and reflections from ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges," the conference is not only an important practice to implement the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, but also a vivid illustration of deepening the Global Civilization Initiative, and an intellectual contribution to building a closer all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, Gao Xiang, president of CASS, said at the opening ceremony of the conference.

China and Africa have become a model of South-South cooperation and building a community with a shared future for mankind, and have shown to the world that developing countries are fully capable of independently creating a new form of human civilization and embarking on a path of modernization different from the Western model, Gao said.

Gao raised three proposals to enhance mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations: tracing the source of civilization to inspire modern governance with classical wisdom, gathering the power of innovation to promote development through dialogue between civilizations, and shouldering the responsibility of the times to reshape the narrative of civilizations with joint efforts of China and Africa.

Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that this conference commits to a joint response to today's global challenges by fostering exchanges and mutual learning between ancient Chinese and African civilizations, which once again demonstrates the high degree of synergy between the values of Chinese and African civilizations, and the resolution and responsibility of China and Africa to implement the Global Civilization Initiative.

In the new stage of jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, China is willing to continuously work with African countries to strengthen the sense of community with a shared future, deepen mutual learning between different civilizations, jointly respond to regional challenges and work together to uphold international fairness and justice, so as to bring more certainty for the peace, stability and development of China, Africa and the world, Liao added.

Ezzat Saad, director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said that the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative has added cultural and humanistic dimensions to China-Africa cooperation and promoted deeper mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides.

Through platforms such as the conference, the two sides have strengthened their cultural and social ties and promoted the establishment of a long-term partnership based on common interests and mutual understanding, Saad added.

Saad Zaghloul, vice president of Suez Canal University, noted that hosting the conference in Egypt underscores the country's regional and international role as a bridge between East and West, and its outstanding contribution to promoting mutual understanding between different cultures and peoples.

As a model of practice, Suez Canal University and its Confucius Institute have created a platform for talent cultivation and cultural exchange between China and Egypt through academic exchanges, vocational training, and corporate employment forums, Zaghloul said, adding that they have also collaborated with other Confucius Institutes in Africa to share experience, break down barriers to collaboration, and jointly promote the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. ■

Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, addresses the opening ceremony of the 4th Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, on April 16, 2025. More than 100 experts, scholars, and diplomatic envoys from China and African countries gathered Wednesday in Ismailia Governorate, northeast of Egypt, to share insights and reflections from Ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Ezzat Saad, director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, addresses the opening ceremony of the 4th Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, on April 16, 2025. More than 100 experts, scholars, and diplomatic envoys from China and African countries gathered Wednesday in Ismailia Governorate, northeast of Egypt, to share insights and reflections from Ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang addresses the opening ceremony of the 4th Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, on April 16, 2025. More than 100 experts, scholars, and diplomatic envoys from China and African countries gathered Wednesday in Ismailia Governorate, northeast of Egypt, to share insights and reflections from Ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Saad Zaghloul, vice president of Suez Canal University, addresses the opening ceremony of the 4th Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, on April 16, 2025. More than 100 experts, scholars, and diplomatic envoys from China and African countries gathered Wednesday in Ismailia Governorate, northeast of Egypt, to share insights and reflections from Ancient Chinese and African civilizations on contemporary global challenges. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)