Asa non-Chinese, I step forward in this topic with intense humility andcaution.  Were it not for thisinvitation, I could not and would not presume to offer this reflection to myChinese brother and sisters.  Thispresentation proposes to address the critical importance of China’s culturalidentity in considering the topic

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ofglobal governance and national responsibility. China’s cultural identity mutually informs and is informed by itsparticular philosophies and values which have developed with its own“historical processes over millennia.” In the midst of the world’s ongoing tensions and growingdestabilization, China is nonetheless one of the major world powers botheconomically and militarily and therefore has a crucial role.  China’s undisputable right and responsibilityresides not only through equal member participation in determining the ongoingprocesses of economic globalization and responsible military preparedness; thisright and responsibility is also expressed in its contribution to the effortsof bringing about harmonious development and progress in both international andnational life, realizing the deepest sense of culture and values.   President Xi Jinping told the president andpeople of the USA during his recent visit to the White House that China, withother nations, is called to participate in realizing democracy and human rightsworldwide.  Nonetheless, he righty spokeof nations’ working together as equals and mutually respecting each other’s“unique historical processes” which inform their particular paths and manner ofcontributing to the effort both nationally and internationally.

Thispaper wishes to affirm this perspective of the importance of China’s role, alsoseen in the light of its “unique historical processes.” Thus, this role mustemerge and be expressed through its culture, philosophies and values.  President Xi Jinping is exactly right toreject the imposition of the present tendency to force all people into a commonmold or corral of banal sameness. National and international development and wellbeing are manipulated andimposed upon solely for raw economic interests, mostly emerging from aliensources irrelevant and harmful to the stability, peace and harmony of a nationor international community.

Thispresentation strongly suggests that China’s traditional philosophies and valuescan indeed guide Chinese leadership in offering solid solutions to resolvingcrises and furthering positive development and well-being both nationally andinternationally.  Having been in China inJuly of 1991 and then in June on 2011, I

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witnessedpersonally a phenomenon which the entire world recognizes as historicallyunprecedented.  The astoundingdevelopment in China within those twenty years is seen in the success oflifting up the entire population through a multifaceted national development:the transformation of the cities, the development of infrastructure,transportation, science and technology, the vigorous movementeconomically.  China accomplished thiseffort without historical antecedent precisely because of its culturalidentity. It is a cultural identity articulated in its great philosophies andnoble values which enables the Chinese to think comprehensively in dealing withprojects and issues and encourages them to work energetically to achievedevelopment and great goal.

Ipropose that these philosophies and values mark China with what I term its own“cultural genetic code” or “cultural DNA,” its cultural genome, as itwere.   China is thus identified anddistinguished from other national identities. This presentation wishes to show that, while China must seriouslyparticipate in the international consideration of economic globalization andmilitary preparedness, it offers the world and the Chinese nation the criticaldepth of its values.  These values enrichhuman life and community with a broader sense of meaning and purpose, sadlylacking on the world stage today.  Infact, one of the greatest anxieties expressed worldwide at the academic levelis the crude banality and shallowness which is replacing the unique andvenerable culture of many peoples with purely materialistic vulgarity.  The meaninglessness of present humanexistence in many countries today is said to be the cause of youth from allover the world embracing fundamentalist ideologies and becoming jihadis.  This is certainly true in Europe, USA andCanada.

Ipropose in this paper that China, in its major leadership role with others,offer its particular perspective borne of its “cultural genetic code” in a dialogueof values and philosophies which give creative and meaning-based structure toglobal growth.  The issues of democracyand human rights, to which President Xi Jinping spoke, are seen within thecontext of the person and community, both nationally and internationally.  Moreover, through its perspective, China iscalled to an

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allianceto confront personal and community alienation with a broader sense of meaningand purpose.  This is essential for aculture and the people who participate in it to truly thrive.

Atthis point, globalization has not brought about a deepening sense of profoundcultural development and sharing. Rather, emphasizing only economic consideration exclusively and aboveall, the world is swamped in a values vacuum of triviality that diminishes thesense of personal and community existence, reducing it to the lowest commondenominator which is monetary and self-centered.  Chinese philosophies and values, borne oftheir own historical processes, offer its people and the community of nations aprofound vision and model.  This canbring perspective and meaning to human existence that is critically lacking intoday’s societal and international reality, thus making it possible to bondtogether community, national and international, in sociality andsolidarity.  Both Chinese andJudeo-Christian anthropologies recognize this as intrinsic to human nature andcrucial for the whole development of person and community.

Assuch, this paper proposes that China role is crucial in participating in thestabilization of a world overwhelmed with ideologies which are non-humanisticand destructive.  Beyond a doubt, thevery comprehensive approach in Chinese thinking, mentioned above, is vital tothe process.  Thus, this presentationwishes to examine China’s leadership role, as stated in the title of thissymposium, by being clearly who China is and bringing forth from thisself-identity a respectful sharing with other nations for the coherent andcomprehensive development of the person, the nation, the community of nationsand nature.