MACAO, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- A forum on mutual learning of civilizations between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) was held on Friday in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) to explore a mechanism for cultural exchanges and civilization mutual learning between China and the PSCs.
Gao Xiang, dean of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Chinese Academy of History, said the forum can help leverage Macao's role as a bridge and platform for cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the PSCs, vowing to work with relevant academic and think tank institutions of the PSCs to actively implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and make due contributions to consolidating and deepening the traditional friendship between the two sides.
Liu Xianfa, commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Macao SAR, stressed efforts to explore the cultural commonalities between China and the PSCs, mobilize various forces to form a broad synergy, and actively support and assist the Macao SAR government and various sectors of society in expanding foreign exchanges and cooperation.
Yan Zhichan, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, said the forum, held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is of great significance to jointly leverage Macao's role as a platform to promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the PSCs, and promote the community with a shared future for humanity.
Joseph Hun-wei Lee, president of Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), where the forum was held, hoped to present and spread the practices and values of Macao in building a community with a shared future for humanity through the forum.
Some 20 scholars from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, as well as the Chinese mainland and the Macao SAR, discussed topics such as the BRI between China and the PSCs, modernization between Brazil and China, cultural exchanges between China and Angola, and cooperation between China and Cape Verde.
The forum was co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of History, the commissioner's office, the liaison office, the Macao Foundation and the MUST. ■