Catalyzer not converter

China is not seeking to impose its vision of a community with a shared future on anyone, but inviting all to help realize it

China and the West are two very different and very distant civilizations, in their conceptions of life, philosophy, politics and economics. To some extent, the two know each other only superficially and, in this era of change, they appear to be at odds.

Is it possible, despite everything, to speak of an alliance of civilizations, as the United Nations says?

I prefer to put it another way: Can we aspire to a dialogue between the two civilizations?

On the part of the West, this dialogue seems impossible, since the United States aspires to contain China, economically, commercially, scientifically and technologically, and the European Union is suspicious of China for its alleged systemic rivalry.

Yet, at the same time, both the US and the EU trade with China on a large scale, their representatives meet with those of China at major summits and in a multiplicity of bilateral and international meetings.

Reality imposes itself: containing China, which the West describes as an "Asian giant", seems politically naive. How can an entire people, one that comprises nearly 20 percent of humanity and which has its own philosophy of work, society, economy, education, politics of multilateralism, and the aspiration to build a world community with a shared future, be contained?

And what does systemic rivalry mean? That one wants to impose its "system" on the other? China has never wanted to impose its system on other peoples, nor does it intend to do so now: "We do not want to be a superpower" as its leaders repeat. While the EU and the US insist on convincing China that Western liberal democracy is the universal paradigm and, in addition, impose sanctions on it for not following the Western development path.

A very notable and regrettable case of this attempt at imposition is the European Parliament's boycott of the mutual investment agreement, that would be beneficial to both sides, because the anti-China lobby does not want to ratify it, with the excuse that China does not "comply with human rights", according to the Western conception of them. Is this the "systemic rivalry"? China signs and ratifies, without adding extra conditions beyond what was agreed by both parties, but the EU sets conditions. In reality, this "systemic rivalry" is not mutual.

In the face of these difficulties for dialogue on the part of the West, China offers the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, one without an exclusive hegemony, and proposes multilateralism, inclusiveness and cooperation.

This concept of a community with a shared future is not imposed on anyone, it is offered as a way to coexist in peace in pursuit of shared prosperity.

There is a palpable expression of a shared future, the Belt and Road Initiative — the largest global connectivity project ever to take effect. It is open to all countries in the world, without exclusions or systemic conditions. It strengthens not only road, land, air and sea connectivity, but also global connectivity that is digital, cultural (dialogue of civilizations), political (without "systemic" impositions), and environmental connectivity to share a clean planet.

How can we carry forward this thinking of a shared world?

Of course, it is not a question of one day or of a few, but of all: a strategic objective for the whole of the 21st century.

Great strides are already being made, which must be explained and disseminated in the face of the catastrophists and the exclusionists. For example, the major road and digital corridors have already been built, or are under construction, the major international forums have been convened for debate and dialogue, a multitude of bilateral and multilateral agreements have been signed, and new multilateral governance institutions, such as the BRICS and the G20, have been established.

Powerful actors are needed to give impetus to efforts to realize a shared world. China, the US and the EU should play their respective roles in promoting understandings between civilizations and maintaining multilateralism.

The author is founder and chairman emeritus of Catedra China, which promotes knowledge and dialogue between Spain and China. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.