Finding common grounds a good way for cultural exchanges: Spanish scholar

Journalism professor at Renmin University of China and former director of Agencia EFE in China Javier García Fernández makes a keynote speech at the “Decoding Zhonghua” International Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations, Jan 17, 2023. (Photo provided to China News Network)

(ECNS) -- The political denigration campaign against China organized by some western powers and media has created a really distorted image of the country, said Javier García Fernández, journalism professor at Renmin University of China and former director of Agencia EFE in China during a conference held in Beijing on Wednesday.

"I think it's necessary for the world to know better China, specially to know more about your culture, society, traditions, about your famous Chinese characteristics, about the way in which 1.4 billion people could live here together in peace,” Fernández said in his keynote speech at the “Decoding Zhonghua” International Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations.

The professor noted that when it comes to learning about a different culture, normally one is interested in the differences, in the exotic mystery of a foreign and very different world. But one is also amazed by the similarities, by the coincidences with one's own culture.

”When my family and I arrived here, more than six years ago, we were surprised by many things. We found an amazing country, modern and old at the same time, full of diversity and energy with many brand new and different features as the ones we were used to,” he said.

“But we found surprisingly some things in common as well. The importance granted to the family in China is very similar to the one we confer to it in Spain, especially in Galicia, my home region in the north of the country, by the Atlantic coast. The passion for food, the long hours shared with families and friends around a big table full of delicious dishes. These were the same things that we enjoy,” the professor said.

He added that their surprise was also to see some old ladies roasting chestnuts on the streets of Beijing in autumn. Exactly the same thing and in the same way as they do in Galicia, a land crowded by chestnut trees.

"After many years living in several countries in different continents, we can say that China is the one we feel most at home of all, no matter how far away could it be from our home country,” he said.

The professor believes that to concentrate first on the things China and other countries have in common could be a good way to communicate the Chinese culture.

“I hope that one day the citizens of the world will be able to get to know the essence of this formidable country without distortions or filters,” he said.

The conference, host by China Ethnic News, Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, and China International Public Relations Association, was held with the theme “Pursing Harmonious Coexistence of Civilizations Through Dialogue.”