Echoes of a Tajik poet in China-Tajikistan exchanges

DUSHANBE -- In a signed article published Friday in Tajik media upon his state visit to the Central Asian country, Chinese President Xi Jinping invoked the words of a Tajik poet to express his anticipation for meeting with his Tajik counterpart, President Emomali Rahmon.

"The famous Tajik poet Rudaki once said that nothing could compare to the joy of a reunion with family or friends. I look forward to my meeting with President Rahmon to jointly open up brighter prospects for China-Tajikistan relations," Xi wrote.

In Tajikistan, Rudaki is celebrated as the founder of classical Persian-Tajik literature and is often referred to as the "Adam of poets." His legacy is prominently honored in the nation's capital, Dushanbe, with Rudaki Avenue, which now hosts the new China-assisted government and parliament buildings. The project for these office buildings was agreed upon during Rahmon's visit to China in 2017. Two years later, during Xi's visit to Tajikistan, the two leaders unveiled the construction models of these buildings together.

On Friday, Xi and Rahmon attended the inauguration of the buildings, which will be new landmarks in Dushanbe and new symbols of China-Tajikistan cooperation.

During his stay in Dushanbe in June 2019 for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and a state visit to Tajikistan, Xi also referenced the revered poet.

"As the great Tajik poet Rudaki wrote, 'The wise pursue kindness and peace; only the fool is bent on strife and war.' Let us join hands in a tireless pursuit of peace, stability, and prosperity and usher in a brighter future for Asia and beyond," Xi said at the summit.

The life stories of Tajikistan's historical and literary figures, including Rudaki, are widely known in China, Xi wrote in his signed article in Tajik media ahead of the 2019 visit.

At the Beijing Language and Culture University, a bust of Rudaki, donated by Tajikistan, was unveiled last August by Rustami Emomali, chairman of the National Assembly of the Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Tajikistan, and a Chinese education official.

At the unveiling ceremony, Emomali said that Rudaki's life path and works are vivid examples of building bridges of friendship between nations and promoting the prosperity of all humanity.

The poet expressed his feelings of national friendship more than a thousand years ago with the words, "Nothing could compare to the joy of a reunion with family or friends." Today, his timeless message continues to call for strengthening friendship among peoples, expanding dialogue among civilizations, and promoting humanism and harmony, Emomali said.

Xi's extensive use of Chinese and foreign literary references in international contexts reflects his value for mutual learning through friendly exchanges and inter-civilization dialogue.

In his article on Friday, Xi highlighted how cultural exchange programs, including the Confucius Institutes, the Luban Workshop, seminars, and the translation and publication of literature in both languages, "have helped foster greater mutual understanding and strengthened the ties" between China and Tajikistan.

"These initiatives are akin to small streams that will ultimately converge to form a vast ocean of friendship between our two nations," Xi remarked.

In recent years, the number of Tajik students attending Confucius Institutes in their home country or studying in China has significantly increased. Since its establishment in August 2008, the Confucius Institute at Tajik National University has trained nearly 39,000 Chinese language learners.

In early June, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a China-proposed resolution, with June 10 designated the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. The resolution calls for "equal dialogue and mutual respect" among different civilizations, which Xi has repeatedly advocated on various international occasions.

During his state visit, China and Tajikistan are aiming for even deeper exchanges.

"China will continue to expand cooperation with Tajikistan in such areas as culture, education, health and sports. I hope to see more exchanges between our young people and more exchanges at subnational levels. I also hope our people-to-people exchanges will be as frequent as those between relatives," Xi said.