Respecting cultural differences is the foundation of China’s dialogue with the world. The event “China in Dialogue with the World: Storytelling Salon in Xiamen” held in coastal city Xiamen on November 25-27 reinforced this message, along with Xiamen’s special role in China’s global engagement.

Yu Yunquan, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), one of the forces behind the salon, said responding to common concerns is the crux of China in Dialogue with the World. There may be differences in language, culture and civilization, but “we can always find common ground in discourse and emotional resonance,” he said, expressing the hope that China in Dialogue with the World would continue to expand new dialogue scenarios and channels. 

Yu Yunquan, vice president of China International Communications Group, talks about finding common ground in discourse at the China in Dialogue with the World: Storytelling Salon in Xiamen in Xiamen on November 27. Photos by Yu Xiangjun

Li Huiyue, deputy secretary of the Xiamen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, calls Xiamen a model of green and sustainable development.

Li Yuehui, deputy secretary of the Xiamen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, called Xiamen, a forerunner in building an ecological civilization, an epitome of harmony between humanity and nature, and an exemplar of a mutual promotion of socioeconomic progress and ecological development. It is also a model of green and sustainable development, providing valuable case studies and scenarios for China’s dialogue with the world. He called for people to uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for humankind and jointly promote green, low-carbon and sustainable development. 　  

Erik Solheim, former UN environment executive director and UN under-secretary-general, sends a video message.

In a video message, Erik Solheim, former UN environment executive director and UN under-secretary-general, hoped that more people from all over the world would visit Xiamen to be inspired by its green development. 

Sonia Bressler, chief editor of the Silk Road Publishing House, calls Xiamen's achievements a point of reference for other coastal cities.

Sonia Bressler, chief editor of the Silk Road Publishing House, also sent a video message, calling Xiamen's green transformation not only a local success, but also a reflection of China's vision to promote an ecological civilization. 

Journalists learn about the Gaoqi water purification plant in Xiamen.

Foreign visitors at Kulangsu Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Guests and foreign reporters from more than 10 countries as diverse as the U.K., the Republic of Korea, and Zimbabwe visited iconic sites in Xiamen that testify to its ecological protection and restoration progress over the past three decades. They included the Yundang Lake, Xiamen’s shield from floods that was transformed into an idyllic place from a once stinking pool filled with garbage; Kulangsu (Gulangyu) Island, which has nearly 1,000 heritage buildings and is a melting pot of cultures from all over the world; the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park and the Wuyuanwan Wetland Park. 

China in Dialogue with the World: Storytelling Salon in Xiamen. 

Visitors interact with experts at the China in Dialogue with the World: Storytelling Salon in Xiamen.

David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor of Foreign Languages Press, has witnessed China’s achievements in environmental protection and sustainable development firsthand.

David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor of Foreign Languages Press and a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, said he has witnessed China’s achievements in environmental protection and sustainable development over the years. Xiamen’s experience in making socioeconomic progress along with ecological development has reminded him of President Xi Jinping’s philosophy that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has become a valuable reference for other countries.  

Zhou Lumin, a member of the Xiamen Marine Experts Group and former director of Xiamen ICM Project Management Office, says Xiamen has won more than 20 national and international honors for its ecological achievements.

Zhou Lumin, a member of the Xiamen Marine Experts Group and former director of Xiamen ICM Project Management Office, said after more than three decades of efforts, Xiamen has formed a model of comprehensive ecological protection and restoration and achieved harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The monumental work has won the city more than 20 national and international honors in the field of ecology, including the UN Habitat Scroll of Honor. He also mentioned how the UN secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean had lauded Xiamen’s maritime governance.  

Theogene Habumugisha, special research assistant at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, calls Xiamen his second home.

Theogene Habumugisha, special research assistant at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said having lived in Xiamen for five years, the city has become his second home. It is unique in the balance it has created between socioeconomic development and nature conservation.  

Lin Tao, deputy director of the Ecological Environment Planning and Management Research Center, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlights Xiamen’s construction of green roofs.

Lin Tao, deputy director of the Ecological Environment Planning and Management Research Center and researcher of the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said Xiamen was one of the first cities in the world to construct green roofs on a large scale. Green roofs reduce heat, provide a habitat for flora and fauna, and promote the conservation of biodiversity. 

Zhang Juan, deputy editor-in-chief of the CICG Center for Europe and Africa, describes the objective of the salon.

Zhang Juan, deputy editor-in-chief of the CICG Center for Europe and Africa, said the objective of the salon was to tell the story of Xiamen's ecological civilization through dialogue and exchange. She hoped the visitors would tell the wonderful stories of Xiamen’s beauty and its ecological civilization. 

China in Dialogue with the World is an international brand event under CICG and co-sponsored by the CICG Center for Europe and Africa (China Today magazine) and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xiamen Municipal People's Government. Four sessions have been held since its launch in 2021.