The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee started a standing committee session on Wednesday to study an important speech that Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered on Sept 20 to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the CPPCC.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the opening meeting.
The meeting was presided over by Shi Taifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Shi called on CPPCC members to take the study and implementation of Xi's important speech as a major political task, and give full play to CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body, so as to build consensus and pool strength for advancing Chinese modernization.
Li Shulei, also a member of the Political Bureau and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, was invited to the meeting and gave a report on the advances on cultural fronts.
The senior political advisors also heard reports on a number of topics, including developing fine traditional Chinese culture, building sci-tech innovation centers and improving foreign-related legal services.
During the two-and-a-half-day session, they will also hold themed consultations with regional CPPCC committees in Henan, Guangdong and Xinjiang via videolink.
Senior political advisors study guiding principles from Xi's speech on CPPCC
The inaugural International Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilizations opened in China's Macao Special Administrative Region on Tuesday, attracting over 300 participants.
The forum, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, brings together representatives of government and international organizations, and leading experts from around the world to have dialog and academic exchanges.
Under the theme of "Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Inheritance and Development," the conference features two parallel sub-forums -- "Mutual Learning among Civilizations and Diverse Coexistence" and "Conservation and Sustainable Development of Cultural Heritage"-- alongside a series of academic salons. It will also feature nearly 20 keynote speeches and discussions.
At the forum, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR government O Lam highlighted Macao's historical role as a bridge between civilizations.
"This is Macao, strong in a gentle mood, adhering to tradition in fashion, maintaining peace, harmony, courtesy and integrity. Human civilization has never advanced without exchanges and mutual learning. Macao's recent history of five centuries stands as a living record of the harmonious coexistence and common development of Chinese and Western civilizations. Here, there has been no clash of civilizations, only cultural convergence; no hierarchy of values, only dialog on an equal footing. Macao, with its history of integration of Chinese and Western civilizations, offers practical evidence, and will continue to evidence that the old logic of zero-sum game is unsustainable, while cooperation and harmony represent the true direction of human civilization," she said.
Qian Chengdan, professor of history from Peking University, also underscored the importance of civilizational diversity.
"Diversity of civilizations is among the most fundamental and vital attributes of humankind. It is hard to imagine a world with only one civilization, one voice. If there were only one single civilization and one single voice, mutual learning among civilizations will be out of the question," he said.
Macao hosts inaugural International Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilizations
