Xi Jinping unveiled his Global Civilisation Initiative last month. It is the latest in a series of suggestions for how the world should be run
GSIwas announced at a virtual dialogue, organised by China’s Communist Party, of leaders of about 500 political organisations from more than 150 countries. The timing may have been deliberate: days later President Joe Biden was to co-host his second Summit for Democracy, also by video link . “The practice of stoking division and confrontation in the name of democracy is in itself a violation of the spirit of democracy,” Mr Xi told his audience. “It will not receive any support.
China’s leaders have often made similar points. But the initiative formally elevates China’s concerns about Western “interference” to a matter involving not just countries, but civilisations. It implies that any attack on China’s political system is an attack on its culture. Mr Biden describes America as being engaged in a “battle between democracy and autocracy”. Mr Xi is clearly trying to portray it as waging a broader, Huntingtonian-type struggle.
Developing Mr Xi’s new initiative will involve a tricky balancing act. As Chinese officials explain the idea, all civilisations are equal and should be tolerant of each other. So what to make of Western civilisation? Official Chinese commentary often portrays it as in decay, a victim of ingrained flaws. On April 21st at a government-sponsored forum in Shanghai, Mr Zhang contrasted the “harmony” of Chinese culture with the conflict of politics in the West .
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pedro Pascal And Ethan Hawke Wrestle With A Love Affair In Gay Western DramaDirected by Pedro Almodóvar, Strange Way Of Life is set to premiere next month at the Cannes Film Festival.
Read more »
South Korea ponders the high cost of being America’s friend\n\t\t\tLet our global subject matter experts broaden your perspective with timely insights and opinions you\n\t\t\tcan’t find anywhere else.\n\t\t
Read more »
The Western vs. Mediterranean Diet: is there an association between dietary patterns and reduction in breast cancer risk?The Western vs. Mediterranean Diet: is there an association between dietary patterns and reduction in breast cancer risk? Nutrients_MDPI western diet westerndiet mediterranean mediterraneandiet meddiet MD breastcancer cancer cancerresearch
Read more »
Sega of America 'investigating and considering the options available' following staff unionisation effortsSega of America is currently 'investigating and considering the options available' to the company, following unionisation news.
Read more »
How the U.S. Should Counter China in Latin AmericaThis is a historic, high-stakes opportunity for the U.S. to design a serious strategy to counter China’s corrosive footprint in Latin America.
Read more »