China ready to work with Iran to expand, strengthen BRICS: Xi

China

China ready to work with Iran to expand, strengthen BRICS: Xi

2024-10-24 00:44 Last Updated At：05:27

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China stands ready to work with Iran to expand and strengthen the BRICS cooperative mechanism when meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Russia's Kazan on Wednesday afternoon.

Xi met with Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit, the first held since the group's expansion earlier this year which saw several new members including Iran joining the emerging-market cooperative mechanism.

Xi said Iran is a country of important regional and international influence and is also a good friend and partner of China.

Against the backdrop of accelerating global changes unseen in a century, the strategic significance of China-Iran relations has become more prominent, said Xi.

No matter how the international and regional situation changes, China will unswervingly develop friendly cooperation with Iran, Xi said.

China supports Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and national dignity, steadily advancing economic and social development, and improving and deepening good neighborly relations with its neighboring countries, he said.

China stands ready to work with Iran to firmly support each other, uphold the basic norms governing international relations such as non-interference in internal affairs, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the two countries, Xi said.

He said China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Iran in various fields, promote the sound and steady development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, to deliver more benefits to the people of both countries.

"We are ready to enhance cooperation with Iran within the framework of the BRICS cooperative mechanism to expand and strengthen this mechanism, further increase the influence and voice of the Global South, and push for a more just and equitable international order," Xi said.

Pezeshkian, for his part, said China is Iran's most important cooperative partner, adding that the Iran-China comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation in various fields has maintained a sound development momentum.

Iran hopes to make joint efforts with China to implement the comprehensive cooperation plan between the two sides, and deepen bilateral cooperation in connectivity, infrastructure, clean energy and other fields to achieve more results, which will not only boost Iran's national development, but also contribute to regional peace and stability, Pezeshkian said.

Iran is willing to work with China to continue firmly supporting each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and jointly opposing hegemony and bullying, he said.

Pezeshkian thanked China for supporting Iran's formal accession to the BRICS cooperative mechanism, adding that Iran looks forward to working closely with China within the frameworks of BRICS and other multilateral platforms.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, over which Xi expressed China's deep concern and said that an early cessation of hostilities in Gaza is the key to easing tensions in the region.

Calling on the international community to pool strengths, Xi urged relevant parties to earnestly implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions and avoid further turbulence in the region.

2nd Liangzhu Forum opens in Hangzhou to promote exchanges

2024-11-26 03:51 Last Updated At：05:27

The second Liangzhu Forum opened in Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang in east China on Monday, aimed at promoting exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations.

Themed on "Exchanges and Mutual Learning: A New Form of Human Civilization," the forum gathers more than 300 archaeologists, writers, musicians and other scholars from over 60 countries and regions. It is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and the Zhejiang Provincial Government.

Discussions are centered around topics of "Reimagining civilization: Archaeology and the diversity of civilizations in a global perspective," "Creativity in literature: Resonances of world literature and the development of human society," and "The evolution of musical spirit: Modern echoes of Chinese and foreign music traditions."

Rooted in the 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization, the forum leverages the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019, as evidence of China's cultural achievements in ancient times.

"There is a keyword in our Liangzhu Forum called 'mutual learning'. To simplify, 'mutual learning' is akin to looking at each other in a mirror. When we understand the Liangzhu Forum from the perspective of mutual learning or civilizations engaging in dialogical exchange, we are not only engaging with other civilizations but also reflecting upon ourselves," said Chinese writer and documentary director Zhang Hailong. "That is the significance -- it's listening to everybody's viewpoints and so that we can find sort of mutual understanding with the development of music and culture and humanity in general. So that we can sort of come together with a better plan, so to speak," said Bobby Borg, a professor of Music Industry of the University of Southern California.

Highlights of the forum include a presentation of China's achievements in compiling "A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings," a state project that involves at least 12,405 pieces (sets) of Chinese paintings from over 260 domestic and overseas museums and other cultural institutions, as well as a special concert titled "Echoes of Liangzhu."

Located in the Yangtze River Basin of Zhejiang Province, the archeological ruins of Liangzhu, dating back at least 5,000 years, reveal an early regional state with a unified belief system based on rice cultivation in the late Neolithic Period (around 7000-1700 BC). The archeological site is recognized as one of the earliest examples of Chinese civilization.