China’s efforts to promote a multipolar world, through initiatives like building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Global Civilisation Initiative, stem from a deep understanding of the global landscape.
This view was shared by Russian sinologist Maria Semenyuk, an associate professor at Moscow State University’s Institute of Asian and African Studies.
Semenyuk, an associate professor in the Department of Chinese Philology at Moscow State University’s Institute of Asian and African Studies, shared her views in a recent interview with Xinhua.
“China’s initiatives are based on a profound grasp of the current international situation and resonate not only with the Chinese people, but also with people in many other countries,” she said, noting a strong response in Russia and across the Global South.
She highlighted that the significance of these initiatives lies in China’s continuous efforts to shape a new development model that respects the cultural heritage of different civilisations while encouraging modernisation rooted in historical experience.
Semenyuk emphasised the importance of exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations as a foundation for mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence, what she called a “closeness of hearts.”
“I’ve been translating Chinese literature for over 15 years, including both books and cultural projects,” she said.
“It’s encouraging to see more and more Chinese books appearing in our bookstores. They are no longer viewed as exotic, but rather as relevant and engaging for our readers.”
She also revealed that new projects are underway in the fields of translation, publishing, and cultural exchange between Russia and China.
“We have already started compiling new lists of books for translation,” she added.
China proposed the Global Civilisation Initiative in 2023. Semenyuk said the recent Global Civilisations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting, held in Beijing on July 10–11, was a landmark event amid a turbulent global landscape.
“It sent a clear message that the world’s civilisations are united in their desire for peace, development, equality, justice, democracy, and freedom,” she said.
Rather than ideological confrontation, she called for concrete efforts in cultural rapprochement, mutual exchange, and the creation of a global dialogue network to address the challenges of the modern era.
Semenyuk warned that today’s world is marked by instability and contradictions, and that dangerous ideas of so-called “civilisational superiority” are gaining traction.
In such a context, she said, the principles of the Global Civilisation Initiative, including respect for diversity, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and harmonious coexistence, are more relevant than ever.