The Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU) is an NGO aiming at “letting the world understand China, and letting China understand the world”. Since its establishment in 1981, CAFIU has been devoted to promoting mutual understanding and friendly cooperation between the Chinese people and peoples of other countries. In recent years, CAFIU has made positive progress in enhancing international understanding through forums, seminars, reciprocal visits of delegations and study groups, and organization and participation of bilateral and multilateral international events. As someone who has had the honor to witness and take part in various international exchanges carried out by CAFIU, I would like to share several ideas and impressions.

I. Relevance of Enhancing International Understanding

International understanding, as the name suggests, is the realization of mutual understanding and trust among different civilizations, countries, ethnic groups and religions.

Under current circumstances, it is utterly relevant to enhance international understanding.

(i) The Development and Changes in the World Call for International Understanding

The world today is one of great changes and development. The in-depth adjustments of the international system and the international order, together with the rising of emerging markets and developing countries as a cluster, have entailed the most evolutional changes in the centuries-long international power balance. Meanwhile, economic globalization and information technology are profoundly changing the look of the world; countries are interconnected and interdependent at an unprecedented level with their interests and destinies more closely intertwined. The development and changes in the world have brought not only unprecedented opportunities to human development, but also de-facto shocks on the international system which has been formulated for centuries. Only by increasing international understanding can countries adjust to development and changes in the international system, avoid serious turmoil, and maintain global peace.

(ii) The Improvement of Global Governance Requires International Understanding

In the face of ever more acute global problems including terrorism, environmental pollution and climate change, no country can stand alone unaffected and many problems are no longer solvable by a single country. Therefore, countries need to cooperate to tackle global challenges and formulate widely-observed rules to regulate their respective deeds. As put by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, “Global affairs are more and more to be addressed through consultation among countries.” in which the prerequisite of “addressed through consultation” is mutual understanding and trust among countries.

(iii) Friendly Co-existence among Peoples of Different Countries Demands International Understanding

Friendship among peoples is the pre-condition of stable relations among countries and the basis on which to promote global peace and development. The enhancement of international understanding is an important way to increase people-to-people friendship. Only by understanding each other better can people of various countries transcend differences in civilization, religion and ideology and jointly work towards greater global peace and development.

II. Conditions are Mature to Increase International Understanding

With sound conditions it is high time we increased international understanding.

(i) The development of information technology has provided more convenience. The rapid growth of Internet, telecommunications and modern transportation has reduced the world into a “global village”. With real-time communication being available long ago, previous hindrance in time and space has largely been removed, providing the enhancement of international understanding with important pre-conditions.

(ii) Ideology as a factor affecting international relations has been on the decline with the end of the cold war, creating favorable conditions. Though some confrontation still exists, its width and depth have largely decreased, and still less can it block international understanding. Moreover, the growth of international understanding contributes to remove ideological bias and promote understanding and trust among countries.

(iii) Voices for greater mutual understanding are growing. Changes in external environment have directly influenced the minds and aspiration of people of various countries. With growing ties among countries, people have long abandoned previous isolation. More and more people walk across country borders and experience differences and conflicts stemming from lack of understanding. The notion to increase mutual understanding as interactions among countries grow has become not only shared aspiration, but also the unstoppable driving force to enhance mutual understanding.

III. Several Issues to Keep in Mind in Promoting International Understanding

(i) It is worth noting that to help others understand us does not necessarily mean to ask others fully acknowledge us or even fully embrace our political system, path of development, values or ideas. The aim to increase international understanding is not to change others’ options, but to help them respect ours, especially to truly understand the reason behind our choice of path, so as to reduce mutual suspicion and confrontation, and work towards win-win cooperation.

(ii) Both understanding from others and understanding of others are needed. The root cause of many prevailing conflicts is lack of understanding and trust, which fuels mutual suspicion in strategic intention and eventually leads to confrontation. To promote mutual understanding we shall acquire broad horizon and solid accumulation, comprehensive and in-depth knowledge on various civilizations, countries, ethnic groups and religions, as well as rational appraisal of differences and conflicts. Only by doing so can we carry out effective communication and push forward understanding and cooperation.

(iii) The emphasis in increasing international understanding lies in facts and reason, so as to impress and convince others. Certain approaches are to be applied, but not tricks or lies. Intentional ignorance or even distortion of facts often leads to the contrary, causing misunderstanding and mistrust. Facts are most convincing. A simple fact often outweighs a thousand words. When trying to enhance international understanding, we shall base our stories on facts so as to help others know us comprehensively and understand our real intentions.

(iv) We shall pay attention to our narration so as to avoid “talking to ourselves”. To help others understand us, we shall firstly help them understand our words and intention. Due to differences in language and thinking pattern, people are often restrained in their own habit of expression. The fundamental reason is the failure to realize whether others truly understand our narration. Therefore we need to make better use of international languages and ways of expression so that we not only highlight our own concerns but also relate to others’. We shall put ourselves in the position of others more so as to maximize effects.

                    (The author is the Secretary-General of the Chinese Association for International Understanding)