History provides guide for relations

Chinese, European and African history long ago traced the characteristics of a new type of international relations, experts said during the fifth annual conference of the Taihu World Cultural Forum in Beijing.

A discussion titled "New International Relations in the Course of Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind" was held on Thursday.

Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University of China, said ancient China made contributions on how to form the new international relations, showing that the focus should be more on domestic development and less on the use of force.

Shi said China always has paid close attention to domestic problems and minded its own business - invading and expanding were never a priority. Large amounts of resources are wasted when countries spend more time and effort on wars and conflicts, which they could have been used for social and economic development.

Yu Xintian, advisory committee chairman at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said establishing a new type of international relations should focus on people and cultural communication.

Yu said more Chinese people have gotten involved in international communication, especially during the 40 years of reform and opening-up.

"Chinese people are willing to learn and teach despite different ideologies, social systems or regions and cultures, which is a respectful attitude and practice worth learning," he said.

Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive of the European Policy Center, said the world can learn from European history and the European Union how to build a community of a shared future. Zuleeg said failure to defend the common security - during two world wars - forced people to create a long-lasting community of a shared future based on cultural understanding rather than power.

Eugenio Bregolat, Spain's former ambassador to China, said what the world needs is not military alliance or fighting but peaceful partnership and communication.

Marius Llewellyn Fransman, former deputy minister of international relations and cooperation in South Africa, said Africans have learned that only through dialogue and cooperation can problems be solved.