交流互鉴 合作共赢

——中外高级别人文交流机制综述

　　党中央、国务院高度重视中外人文交流，将其确立为党和国家对外交往的重要战略。人文交流与战略互信、经贸合作一道，已成为中国对外关系发展的三大支柱，是推动双边和多边关系健康发展的重要力量。习近平主席、李克强总理在国际交往中多次强调密切中外人民往来、厚植中外友好民意基础的重要性。刘延东副总理亲自挂帅担任中俄、中美、中英、中欧、中法和中印尼六大高级别中外人文交流机制中方委员会主席，领导和指导机制中方成员单位与有关国家和地区深入开展人文交流与合作。中外高级别人文交流机制的建设，有力地促进中外民众的相互了解、相互认知、相互理解，不断拓展中外人文交流的深度和广度，在促进合作共赢和推动世界和平发展方面发挥着积极重要的作用。

　　回顾历史，中外高级别人文交流机制从无到有、从小变大。自2000年中国与俄罗斯建立中俄教文卫体（人文）合作委员会至今，我国先后与俄罗斯、美国、英国、欧盟、法国和印度尼西亚建立起了六大副总理级人文交流机制。六大高级别人文交流机制充分发挥引领作用，逐步形成了高层支持、官民并举、多方参与的中外人文交流格局，涵盖了教育、科技、文化、卫生、体育、广电、媒体、旅游、妇女、青年、档案和地方合作等多领域。在机制成员共同努力下，机制汇聚了丰富成果，取得了显著成效。

　　中俄人文合作委员会 2000年11月，为落实中俄两国元首达成的共识，推动中俄战略协作伙伴关系的全面发展，统筹规划有关领域的合作并使其机制化，双方成立中俄教文卫体合作委员会，交流领域涵盖教育、文化、卫生和体育，在交流的过程中领域不断增加。2007年7月，中俄教文卫体合作委员会更名为中俄人文合作委员会。委员会下设教育、文化、卫生、体育、旅游、媒体、电影、青年8个领域的合作分委会和档案合作工作小组。截至目前，委员会已经召开16次大会。当前，委员会中方主席由刘延东副总理担任，委员会俄方主席由戈洛杰茨副总理担任。

　　随着交流的深入，中俄人文合作内涵日益丰富，人才联合培养、高校联盟、卫生防疫、旅游投资、媒体交流工作，以及青少年运动会、文化节、电影节、档案展、青年代表团互访等各项活动有序推进。2014-2015年，在习近平主席和普京总统倡议下，双方共同举办青年友好交流年，在此框架内共计开展活动800余项，包括青年学生联欢节、青年学者研讨会、青年科学家论坛、青年记者互访、青年企业家俱乐部、青年运动员共同训练、青年艺术家对话等。

　　2016年，中俄开展“中俄媒体交流年”。2015年12月17日，中俄青年友好交流年闭幕式暨中俄媒体交流年开幕式在人民大会堂举行，李克强总理和梅德韦杰夫总理出席活动并致辞，刘延东副总理、戈洛杰茨副总理和中俄人文合作委员会双方成员，以及教育、青年和传媒领域的代表也出席了活动。

　　中俄人文合作委员会第十七次会议将于2016年7月在俄罗斯举行。

　　

　　中美人文交流高层磋商机制 2010年，中美建立人文交流高层磋商机制，机制双方主席分别由时任国务委员刘延东和时任美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿担任。同年5月25日，刘延东和希拉里在中国大剧院共同主持首轮磋商，并代表两国政府签署了有关谅解备忘录。机制建立之初，交流领域包括教育、科技、文化和体育4个领域，发展到今天的教育、科技、文化、卫生、体育、妇女和青年7个领域。自2013年起，美国国务卿克里接任机制美方委员会主席。

　　中美人文交流高层磋商机制已分别在北京和华盛顿成功举行了6轮磋商，其中自2014年以来，中美人文交流高层磋商同中美战略与经济对话机制联合举办开幕式，习近平主席出席开幕式并作重要讲话。中美人文交流高层磋商机制汇聚各方力量，几年来双方在教育、科技、文化、卫生、体育、妇女和青年7个领域达成了近500项重要合作共识，开展了一批重要合作项目，形成了如“三个一万”“知行中国”“千校携手”“十万强”计划、中美青年科学家论坛、“欢乐春节”、中美健康峰会、中美青年交流系列项目等重大品牌项目和活动。人文交流正在中美新型大国关系发展中发挥着不可替代的作用。

　　第七轮中美人文交流高层磋商将于2016年6月在中国举行。

　　

　　中英高级别人文交流机制 2011年6月，时任国务院总理温家宝访问英国期间与英国首相卡梅伦就建立中英高级别人文交流机制达成共识。2012年4月16日，时任国务委员刘延东与时任英国文化大臣杰里米·亨特作为机制双方主席在英国伦敦共同主持中英高级别人文交流机制第一次会议暨启动仪式，签署两国政府《关于建立中英高级别人文交流机制的谅解备忘录》，中英高级别人文交流机制正式建立。机制成立至今，交流领域由初期的教育、科技、文化、体育、媒体和青年6个领域，发展到今天的教育、科技、文化、卫生、媒体、旅游、体育、青年和地方合作9个领域。

　　在高级别人文交流机制推动下，2015年中英人文交流内容丰富，形式多样，亮点纷呈。农历新年期间，在各方共同努力下，“欢乐春节”活动取得圆满成功，英国国内掀起了“中国春节热”“中国文化热”。英王室、政要踊跃参加新春庆祝活动，并通过多种渠道发表新春贺词。英国王储查尔斯夫妇正月初一出席伦敦华埠春节庆典活动，用中文问候旅英华人华侨“新年好”。威廉王子通过中央电视台向全球华人恭贺新春。英国首相卡梅伦在首相府邸举办中国春节招待会，并祝贺春节。英外交大臣、内政大臣、伦敦市长、工党领袖也纷纷发表贺词。同年，双方成功举办“中英文化年”活动。

　　2015年9月17日，中英高级别人文交流机制第三次会议在英国伦敦顺利召开，交流领域进一步扩大到旅游和地方合作，确定教育、卫生、科技、体育、文化和创意产业、旅游、青年和地方合作领域的一系列合作项目。

　　中英高级别人文交流机制第四次会议将于2016年下半年在中国举行。

　　

　　中欧高级别人文交流对话机制 2012年4月18日，中欧高级别人文交流对话机制在布鲁塞尔启动。时任国务委员刘延东担任机制中方委员会主席，欧方主席由时任欧盟委员会教育、文化、青年事务和语言多样性委员瓦西利乌女士担任。机制双方主席在会上签署了《中欧高级别人文交流对话机制第一次会议联合宣言》。机制交流领域由成立之初的教育、文化、青年发展到今天的教育、科技、文化、媒体、妇女、青年等6个领域。在机制框架下，双方建立了中欧高等教育交流与合作平台，举办了两届会议；开展了3届欧盟官员来华研修项目，欧洲理事会、欧委会、对外行动署等欧盟机构官员共91人参加；举行了3届语言研讨会；启动了中欧联合调优项目（Tuning Project）、欧盟学校学生夏令营和中国涉欧盟小语种教师赴母语国培训等项目；合办了中国政法大学中欧法学院、华中科技大学中欧清洁与可再生能源学院等中外合作办学旗舰项目。中国与欧盟成员国互设文化中心，中欧教育、科技、文化、青年、媒体和妇女等领域合作蓬勃发展，人文交流内容更加丰富。

　　2015年9月15日，中欧高级别人文交流对话机制第三次会议在比利时布鲁塞尔举行。机制中方主席刘延东副总理和机制欧方新任主席、欧盟委员会教育、文化和青年事务委员瑙夫劳契奇共同出席会议并签署《联合宣言》。各领域还举行对口磋商会议，有力推动中欧人文交流的务实合作。

　　

　　中法高级别人文交流机制 2014年3月，习近平主席访问法国，与法国总统奥朗德就中法建立副总理级人文交流机制达成共识。2014年9月18日，中法两国在巴黎共同举办了中法高级别人文交流机制启动仪式暨首次会议。刘延东副总理担任机制中方委员会主席，时任法国外长法比尤斯担任机制法方委员会主席。当前，机制法方委员会主席由原总理、新任外长艾罗担任。机制交流领域目前涵盖教育、科技、文化、卫生、媒体、妇女、体育、青年、旅游和地方合作等10个领域。

　　2015年5月15日，机制第二次会议在北京举行，规划部署下一阶段各领域新合作项目68项。自机制成立以来，双方已经形成了一批标志性和有重大战略意义的务实合作与人文交流项目，对双边关系发展产生巨大推动作用。如双方互派留学人员规模突破5万人，学生交流再掀新一轮热潮；中法在非洲联合开展抗击埃博拉病毒，中法第三方合作迈出实质性步伐；双方在核能、航空、航天等传统领域也开展起第三方合作；中法武汉P4实验室正式竣工，成为亚洲首个生物安全实验室等。

　　中法高级别人文交流机制第三次会议将于2016年在法国举行。

　　

　　中印尼副总理级人文交流机制 2015年5月27日，为落实习近平主席和印尼佐科总统的重要共识，刘延东副总理作为机制中方主席，在访问印尼期间与机制印尼方主席、印尼人类发展与文化统筹部长布安，共同启动中国-印尼副总理级人文交流机制，并共同主持首次会议。习近平主席和印尼总统佐科分别为首次会议发贺信，肯定机制的重要意义。该机制是中国与发展中国家建立的首个高级别人文交流机制，不仅是中国和印尼人文交流史上的里程碑，还将对中国和东盟的人文交流起到示范和引领作用。

　　会后，双方共同发表《中华人民共和国与印度尼西亚共和国副总理级人文交流机制首次会议联合公报》，重申两国元首重要共识，回顾中印尼人文交流重要进展，并展望未来发展。同时，双方还签署了人文领域协议共11个，其中涉及教育领域协议6个，科技领域协议4个，文化领域协议1个。孔子学院总部和印尼研究技术与高等教育部续签《汉语教学协议》、国家卫计委和印尼卫生部续签《关于卫生合作谅解备忘录》等两个协议目前正在积极推动中。

　　为充实首次会议成果，我国向印尼未来3年（2016/2017学年起）增加提供100个中国政府奖学金新生名额；向印度尼西亚大学提供50万元人民币小额物资捐赠；孔子学院总部赠送汉语教材500册，邀请100名-200名印尼学生来华参加“汉语桥”夏令营。

　　机制第二次会议将于2016年8月在中国召开。

　　

　　“国之交在于民相亲，民相亲在于心相通。”人文交流是国与国、民与民之间增进了解、建立互信的重要桥梁，是促进中外关系发展的不竭动力。教育部国际合作与交流司司长许涛说，加强人文交流是中国和平发展的重要战略和具体体现，人文交流最重要的就是人与人的交流，教育交流合作就是人和人的密切交流。教育交流合作在中外人文交流机制建设和人文交流活动中发挥着基础性、广泛性和持久性作用，为夯实人文交流基础作出了积极贡献。同时，人文交流机制也对推进我国教育改革开放和教育发展成果的互学互鉴起着重要的引领作用。与此同时，在国务院领导下，机制各领域统筹协调、交相辉映，不断谱写交流互鉴的新篇章。

　　双向交流的留学生、各领域专家学者、企业家和游客等大众，都是人文交流的生力军，是中国文化和文明与世界文化和文明交流互鉴的友好使者。在新的历史时期，要开展好中外人文交流，需要广大民众的积极参与，需要不断提高人文交流的思想意识、自觉性和跨文化交流的能力。广大民众应关心中外人文交流的发展，自觉和积极地投入中外人文交流的洪流中，为中外人文交流聚能汇流，丰富人文交流的形式和内涵，增强人文交流的活力。（教育部国际合作与交流司中外人文交流机制办公室供稿）

Exchanges, Mutual Learning,Cooperation and Mutual Benefit

—Summary of High-Level People-to-People Exchanges Between China and Other Countries

　

The CPC Central Committee and State Council attach great importance to people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries, and they have become an important diplomatic strategy of the CPC and country. People-to-people exchanges, strategic mutual trust, and economic and trade cooperation are the three mainstays of China’s foreign relations, and they are important tools for promoting the healthy development of bilateral and multilateral relations. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have repeatedly stressed in the course of international exchanges the importance of closer people-to-people exchanges to bring about a solid foundation of friendship and goodwill between China and the peoples of other countries. Vice Premier Liu Yandong has personally taken on the role of chairperson of China’s major person-to-person exchange mechanisms, with Russia, the US, the UK, the EU, France and Indonesia, guiding closer national and regional exchanges and cooperation by Chinese member institutions. The establishment of high-level people-to-people exchange mechanisms between China and other countries can effectively promote mutual understanding between the people of China and the people of those countries, constantly expand and deepen such exchanges, and play a positive and important role in achieving mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting peaceful development around the world.

　

Looking back, people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign nations have developed from nothing and constantly grown in importance. Since the China-Russia Cooperation Committee on Education, Culture, Health and Sports was set up in 2000, China has successively established six deputy-prime-ministerial person-to-person exchange mechanisms, with Russia, the US, the UK, the EU, France and Indonesia. Under the guidance of these mechanisms, a pattern of people-to-people exchanges characterized by high-level support, involvement of both public and private actors, and multilateral participation has gradually formed. Such exchanges have covered a wide range of areas, including education, science and technology, culture, health, sports, radio and television, the media, tourism, women, young people, archives and local cooperation. Under the joint efforts of the members of these mechanisms, they have created a wealth of achievements and been a remarkable success.

China-Russia Cultural Cooperation Committee

　

Based on the consensus reached by the leaders of China and Russia and in an effort to promote the comprehensive development of the strategic collaborative partnership, plan for areas of cooperation in a coordinated way, and institutionalize areas of cooperation between the two countries, the China-Russia Cooperation Committee on Education, Culture, Health and Sports was established in November 2000. Though it was originally set up to cover just the areas of education, culture, health and sports, cooperation has gradually expanded into other fields over time. Indeed, in July 2007, the Committee’s name was changed to the China-Russia Cultural Cooperation Committee. The Committee is made up of eight sub-committees specializing in the areas of education, culture, health, sports, tourism, the media, film and young people, as well as an archival cooperation working group. To date, the Committee has met 16 times. The Mechanism’s Chinese committee is chaired by Vice Premier Liu Yandong, while the Russian committee is chaired by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Golovin Gertz.

　As exchanges have deepened, areas of cooperation have been enriched. Steady progress has been made in such work as personnel training, university alliances, hygiene and disease control, tourism investment and media exchanges, as well as in such events as youth games, cultural festivals, film festivals, archive exhibitions and mutual visits by youth delegations. In 2014-2015, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin backed the creation of a Youth Friendly Exchange Year. Within the framework of youth exchanges, both sides organized over 800 events, including a young students festival, young scholars seminar, young scientists forum, young reporters visit, young entrepreneurs club, young athletes training and young artists dialogue.

　In 2016, the China-Russia Media Exchange Year was scheduled to follow on from these events. On December 17, 2015, the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Youth Friendly Exchange Year and the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Media Exchange Year were held at the Great Hall of the People. Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev both attended the event and delivered speeches. Vice Premier Liu Yandong, Deputy Prime Minister Golovin Gertz, members of the China-Russia Cultural Cooperation Committee, and youth, media and educational representatives also attended the event.

　The 17th meeting of the China-Russia Cultural Cooperation Committee is due to be held in Russia in July 2016.

　

China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange

　The China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange was established in 2010. The mechanism’s Chinese chairperson is Vice Premier Liu Yandong, and the US chairperson is Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. On May 25, 2010, Liu Yandong and Hilary Clinton co-chaired the first meeting of the mechanism at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing and signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of their respective governments. When the mechanism was first set up, it mainly covered exchanges in the four main areas of education, science and technology, culture and sports, but has now developed to include seven key areas, namely education, science and technology, culture, health, sports, women and young people. Since 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry has served as the US chairpersonship.

　The China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange has met six times, with the meetings alternating between Beijing and Washington DC. Since 2014, the China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange and China-US Economic and Strategic Dialogue have been held at the same time, and President Xi Jinping always attends the opening ceremony and gives a speech. The China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange brings together various forces, and over the years there have been nearly 500 important items of consensus in seven key areas, namely education, science and technology, culture, health, sports, women and young people. It has also launched a number of important cooperation projects and events, including the Three Ten-Thousands Program, Zhi-Xing China Eisenhower Fellowship, Thousand Schools Holding Hands Conference, 100,000 Strong Educational Exchange Initiative, China-US Young Scientist Forum, Happy Chinese New Year event, China-US Health Summit, and a series of China-US youth exchanges. People-to-people exchanges now play an irreplaceable role in developing the new relationship between China and the US.

　The seventh China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange will be held in China in June 2016.

　

China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism

　During a visit to the United Kingdom in June 2011, former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reached an agreement with British Prime Minister David Cameron to set up the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism. On April 16, 2012, then State Councilor of China Liu Yandong and then British Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt co-chaired the launch ceremony and first meeting of the Mechanism in London, where they also signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism on behalf of their respective governments, marking its formal establishment. Since the Mechanism was established, the areas it covers has expanded from six (education, science and technology, culture, sports, the media and young people) to nine (education, science and technology, culture, health, the media, tourism, sports, young people and local cooperation).

　Under the impetus of the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism, exchanges blossomed in 2015 in a variety of forms. During Chinese New Year, with the help of hard work on both sides, a “Happy Spring Festival” event was held in the UK, which sparked strong interest in Chinese New Year and Chinese culture across Britain. The British Royal Family and dignitaries took part in the celebrations, and New Year’s greetings were conveyed through various channels. Prince Charles and his wife attended the first day of the London Chinatown Chinese New Year celebrations and wished Chinese people there “Happy New Year” in Chinese. Prince William also conveyed New Year greetings to the people of China via China Central Television. British Prime Minister David Cameron held a Chinese New Year reception at his official residence. The British Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Mayor of London and leader of the Labour Party also conveyed their best wishes to the people of China. That year, the two sides successfully held a number of events for the China-UK Year of Culture.　

　 The third meeting of the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism was held in London on September 17, 2015, and areas of exchange were further expanded to include tourism and local cooperation, with a whole series of cooperation programs scheduled in the areas of education, health, science and technology, sports, culture, creative industries, tourism, young people and local cooperation.

　The fourth meeting of the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism is scheduled to take place in China in the second half of 2016.

　

China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue

　The launch and first meeting of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue was held in Brussels on April 18, 2012. The Chinese side appointed Liu Yandong, then State Councilor of China as its chairperson, while the EU side appointed the then European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou as its chairperson. At the meeting, both sides signed the Joint Declaration of the First Meeting of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue. When the Dialogue was first set up, it covered only the three areas of education, culture and young people, but has since expanded to cover the six areas of education, science and technology, culture, the media, women and young people. Under the framework of the dialogue mechanism, both sides have established the China-EU Higher Education Platform for Cooperation and Exchanges and have held two meetings to date; there have been three research trips to China involving 91 EU officials from the European Council, European Commission, European External Action Service and other EU institutions; three language seminars have been held; a number of projects have been launched, including the Tuning Project, a summer camp for European school students and a project for Chinese teachers of European languages other than English to train in countries where their language is spoken natively; and the China-EU School of Law at the China University of Political Science and Law, the China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and other flagship Chinese and foreign cooperative education projects have been jointly organized. China and EU member states have opened cultural centers in each other’s countries, and cooperation has flourished and rich cultural exchanges have taken place in areas such as education, science and technology, culture, young people, the media and women.

　The third meeting of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue was held in Brussels on September 15, 2015. Vice Premier Liu Yandong, for China, and European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, for Europe, attended the meeting and signed a joint declaration. Counterparts in various fields held consultations, providing strong impetus to people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation.

China-France High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism

　During a visit to France in March 2014, President Xi Jinping reached a consensus with French President Francois Hollande regarding the establishment of a deputy-prime-ministerial people-to-people exchange mechanism. China and France subsequently held the launch ceremony and first meeting of the China-France High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism in Paris on September 18, 2014. Vice Premier Liu Yandong was appointed chairperson of the Chinese side and then Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was appointed chairperson of the French side. The French chairperson is now former Prime Minister and new Foreign Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault. Since the Mechanism was set up, its activities have covered 10 areas, namely education, science and technology, culture, health, the media, tourism, sports, women, young people and local cooperation.

　

On May 15, 2015, the second meeting of the Mechanism was held in Beijing, during which 68 cooperation projects were planned for the next phase. Since the mechanism was launched, both sides have engaged in a number of landmark and highly significant projects involving practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, which have played a huge role in developing relations between the two countries. For example, more than 50,000 students have traveled to each other’s countries to study, representing a new upsurge in student exchanges between the two countries; China and France have joined forces to fight the Ebola virus; substantial progress has been made in cooperation between China, France and third parties, which has driven third-party cooperation involving both sides in the traditional areas of nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace; and the China-France P4 laboratory in Wuhan has been completed, the first such biological safety laboratory in Asia.

　

The third meeting of the China-France High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism is due to be held in France in 2016.

　

China-Indonesia Deputy-Prime-Ministerial People-to-People Exchange Mechanism

　

In order to implement the important consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Wododo, Vice Premier of the State Council Liu Yandong visited Indonesia on May 27, 2015, to launch, and co-chair the first meeting of the Deputy-Prime-Ministerial People-to-People Exchange Mechanism Between China and Indonesia, together with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Puan Maharani. Both President Xi and President Wododo sent congratulatory letters for the occasion, affirming the Mechanism’s importance to both sides. The Mechanism is the first high-level people-to-people mechanism established between China and a developing country. It therefore not only serves as a milestone in China-Indonesia people-to-people exchanges, but also plays an exemplary and leading role for people-to-people exchanges between China and members of ASEAN.

　

After the meeting, both sides signed the Joint Communique of the First Meeting of the Deputy-Prime-Ministerial People-to-People Exchange Mechanism Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Indonesia, which reaffirmed the important consensus between the two heads of state, recalled the important progress made in people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and looked to future development. Both sides also signed 11 agreements in the area of exchanges, six in the area of education, four concerning science and technology, and one related to culture. The Confucius Institute Headquarters（Hanban）and the Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education signed an agreement on teaching Chinese, and the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission and Indonesian Ministry of Health renewed two agreements, including the Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation, both of which are currently being promoted.

　

In order to build on the results from the first meeting, the Chinese government plans to make 100 more scholarships available to Indonesian students in the next three years (starting in the 2016/2017 academic year) and donate teaching equipment worth RMB 500,000 to the University of Indonesia; The Confucius Institute Headquarters（Hanban）will donate 500 Chinese language textbooks and invite 100-200 Indonesian students to China to attend the 2015 Chinese Bridge summer camp.

　

The second meeting of the Deputy-Prime-Ministerial People-to-People Exchange Mechanism Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Indonesia will take place in China in August 2016.

　

International exchanges depend on amity between peoples, and amity between peoples depends on mutual understanding. People-to-people exchanges are a way of increasing understanding and building mutual trust between countries and between people of different countries, and they are an inexhaustible driver for developing foreign relations. As Xu Tao, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education of China, says, strengthening people-to-people exchanges is an important strategy and specific manifestation of China’s peaceful development. The most important part of people-to-people exchanges is communication between people. Educational exchanges and cooperation facilitate close interactions between people, and they play a fundamental, widespread and ongoing role in developing China’s people-to-people exchange mechanisms and related activities, and have made a positive contribution to consolidating the foundations of people-to-people exchanges. At the same time, people-to-people exchange mechanisms have played a leading role in promoting educational reform and opening up in China as well as learning from the educational outcomes of others. Under the leadership of the State Council, members of these mechanisms have coordinated and reinforced all aspects of exchanges, constantly writing new chapters of exchanges and mutual learning between China and the other countries involved.

　

Overseas students, experts in various fields, entrepreneurs, tourists and other members of the public are all part of the driving force behind people-to-people exchanges and goodwill messengers of exchanges and mutual learning between the cultures of China and the world. In the new historical period, in order to carry on people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign countries it is necessary to increase participation by members of the general public and constantly improve the ideas behind exchanges, cultural self-awareness and their ability to participate in cross-cultural exchanges. The public should, therefore, take an interest in people-to-people exchanges and pool their efforts in an attempt to enrich and invigorate them.

　

(Written by the The Office of People-to-People Dialogue Mechanisms Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China)