On 12 October 2023, the London leg of the “Journey Through Civilisations” World Tour, produced by the China Media Group, was held in London. President of the China Media Group Shen Haixiong and President of the National Museum of Asian Arts - Guimet in France Yannick Linz delivered video speeches. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in the UK Yang Xiaoguang attended the event and gave a speech at invitation. Nearly one hundred guests joined the event, including members of the diplomatic corps in the UK and representatives from Chinese and British cultural and business sectors.

In his speech, Chargé d'Affaires Yang said Chinese civilisation, with its inclusiveness and enduring strength, exerted a profound impact on the development of world civilisations in the magnificent history of humanity. President Xi Jinping put forward the vision of building a human community with a shared future, and the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative. He also proposed the cultural mission of building a modern civilisation of the Chinese nation. These proposals embody the ideals about a shared future, peaceful coexistence, solidarity, and win-win cooperation, which are embedded in the genes of Chinese civilisation. They also profoundly reveal the importance of respecting diversity in civilisation, promoting the common values of mankind, attaching importance to the inheritance and innovation of civilisation, and strengthening cultural exchanges and cooperation among countries. They provide China’s wisdom and solution for the development of human society.

Chargé d'Affaires Yang emphasised that civilisations are enriched by exchanges. China is ready to work with other countries to enhance exchanges and mutual learning for common development. He pointed out that since the beginning of this year, engagement in various fields and personnel exchanges between China and the UK have accelerated. He hoped that China and the UK will continue to encourage and support cultural exchanges and collaboration through platforms like the “Journey Through Civilisations” exhibition for closer bonds among the people and for the sound and steady development of China-UK relations.

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The London leg of the “Journey Through Civilisations” World Tour uses the latest technology to create the virtual scene of China’s Liangzhu, Sanxingdui and other archaeological sites, showcasing the continuous development and achievements of Chinese civilisation in different historical periods. The guests enjoyed active interactions at the event in a warm atmosphere.