Former president of European Council calls for continuous dialogue between East, West civilizations

Former President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy emphasizes the importance of promoting dialogue between the East and West civilizations to boost understanding.

Van Rompuy has visited China many times. In his view, "harmony" is the core value in Chinese civilization, and China and Europe can appreciate each other's differences and seek common ground to develop together.

In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG), Van Rompuy said that there are similarities and differences between East and West civilizations.

"I am very interested in the topic of the East and West. In the Western world, there are many cultures, and there are many subtle differences between them. In the European Union, we have 27 countries, 24 languages, 24 cultures. Of course, the Western world is not limited to the European Union. The same is true for the Eastern world. You have China, India, Japan. We can summarize that the East has Eastern civilization and the West has Western civilization. So what will happen? I think that now, the world has changed profoundly. When I look at young Europeans and young Chinese people, I find that they have many similarities. I am not saying that they are all the same. There are differences between us. After all, we are in different types of societies, and this cannot be denied," he said.

Van Rompuy stressed the importance of dialogue between civilizations, to bridge the gap between them and ease the risks of tensions spiraling out of control.

"What I want to say is that despite the big differences, we should keep talking to each other. We must keep talking! Because through dialogue, we can always learn something new, and this face-to-face communication can help us understand each other better. On the contrary, if we lose the ability to talk, conflicts and arguments are unavoidable, and even violence and war may be used to solve problems. Therefore, dialogue is essential," he said.

Former president of European Council calls for continuous dialogue between East, West civilizations

Former president of European Council calls for continuous dialogue between East, West civilizations

Former president of European Council calls for continuous dialogue between East, West civilizations

Türkiye's Ambassador to China says he will be keeping a close eye on the policy outcomes which will be set out during China's "two sessions", the country's highest-profile political event, which are now underway in Beijing.

As the biggest annual gathering on China's political calendar, the "two sessions" refers to the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's national legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body.

The third session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC opened in Beijing on Tuesday, while the third session of the 14th NPC began on Wednesday.

In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), the Turkish Ambassador to China Ismail Hakki Musa highlighted the key areas he will be watching out for during this year's gathering.

He noted that China's development experience and its standing as a major economic powerhouse means that the outcomes of the "two sessions" will have a significant global impact.

"The most important topic at stake was, of course, the opening up, the idea of sharing the democratic experience [of] Chinese-style [modernization]. China provides one-third of the global growth. China represents almost one-fourth of the world economy. The focus is on deepening economic reforms and improving the business environment, the steps aimed at encouraging foreign investments also draws great attention. China is willing to attract more foreign direct investment. This will certainly benefit foreign businesses, including Turkish companies, who wish to increase their investments in China," he said.

"China tries to adapt itself to the new, challenging business environment as well. This has two versions. First, the labor market, second, the capital sphere. [I] understand it as enterprises, the investors, as the recent developments in innovation, and especially in artificial intelligence area. And all of these are being tackled during the 'two sessions'," the ambassador said.

Turkish Ambassador shares expectations for China's "two sessions"