Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

I am delighted to visit the EU headquarters and attend the China-EU High-Level Cultural Forum. This year marks the 35th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations, and it is highly significant to hold a China-EU cultural forum, the very first of its kind on such an important occasion. This is a creative event in the history of our cultural exchanges. It symbolizes a new stage in our cultural interactions and a step forward in the overall China-EU relations. On behalf of the Chinese Government, I wish to extend my warm congratulations.

Culture is a bridge that connects people's hearts and minds, and a bond that enhances understanding and trust between states. Cultural exchanges have a longer history than exchanges in the political field and a more profound impact than economic exchanges. As time goes by, many prominent figures and events will fade into history. But culture lives on. It gains even stronger vitality with the passage of time and has an enduring influence on the way we think and live. Different geographies have nurtured a variety of cultures, each with unique features and attributes. They are like the shining stars in the sky, adding radiance to each other and illuminating the vast universe. Cultural diversity inspires different cultures to interact with each other, influence each other and complement each other, thereby advancing human civilization and enriching our lives.

As the main birthplaces of Oriental and Western civilizations, China and Europe have made tremendous contribution to the progress of human civilization. Ancient Greece produced great philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, while China produced great thinkers such as Lao Zi, Confucius, Zhuang Zi and Sun Zi. These ancient sages laid the intellectual groundwork for civilizations in the East and West. The two civilizations are distinctly different, yet both are open and inclusive. The outstanding achievements of ancient Greek arts and epics, the power of logic and reason in German philosophy, the Renaissance in Italy and the French Enlightenment led Europe to greater democracy and civilization. While in the distant East, the concepts of the Golden Mean, Great Unity and Harmony in traditional Chinese culture made China a nation of perseverance, benevolence and high ideals.

China and Europe have a long history of cultural interflows. As far back as centuries B.C., the Silk Road linked Chang'an and Rome, making possible the dialogue between Chinese and European civilizations. The travelogue of Venetian businessman Marco Polo introduced China, then a mysterious land, to the West. Matteo Ricci, the Italian missionary, brought advanced science and technology from Europe to China, inaugurating the spread of Western learning to the East. The four great inventions of China (the compass, gunpowder, papermaking and movable type printing) and the introduction of Chinese classics to Europe had a far-reaching impact on the development and evolution of modern European society and culture. The Western ideas of democracy and science spread to China in the modern era and became a banner for Chinese intellectuals in their pursuit of development and revitalization of the Chinese nation. The history of cultural development and exchanges proves that all fine achievements of human civilization are fruits of wisdom gained through productive activities over the long years. They are symbols of human progress and the shared asset of all mankind.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, cultural exchanges with Europe have made steady progress. In the new century, China has worked with greater openness to deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation with EU countries. A new pattern of high-level, all-dimensional cultural exchanges has taken shape. A host of large-scale cultural events have been staged, such as the "Year of China in France" and the "Year of France in China" from 2003 through 2005, the "Year of Italy", the "Year of Spain" and the "Cultural Year of Greece" in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively, and the "Europalia China" in Belgium in 2009. They all won wide acclaim from the cultural and art communities as well as the general public.

Spreading far and wide in China, modern European culture has found a passionate audience among the Chinese people. At the Shanghai World Expo, the distinctive pavilions of Belgium-EU, Britain, France, Italy and Spain, among others, have drawn long lines of Chinese visitors. Cultural institutions set up in China by some EU countries, such as the French Cultural Center, the Goethe Institute and the Cervantes Institute, have become favorite rendezvous for foreign language learners and culture fans in China. Likewise, the Chinese cultural centers set up in recent years in Paris, Berlin and Valletta are warmly received by many Europeans. The communication taking place in these venues touches the soul and has enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between China and Europe and imbued our relations with vigor and vitality.

When we look at China-EU cultural relations, we need to adopt a strategic perspective and have an open mind. We need to make our exchange of ideas and culture more extensive, in-depth and enduring. We need to promote interactions between our cultural institutions and encourage cooperation in the cultural industry and related products and services. I ardently hope that more people in China and EU countries, especially the younger generation, will get to know more about each other's national conditions and cultures through direct engagement and first-hand experience so as to better promote the steady and healthy growth of China-EU relations.

Cultural diversity is a defining feature of human civilization. Respecting the independence and development of different cultures and strengthening cultural interflows and cooperation is essential to upholding cultural diversity in the world. In an era of globalization, mankind is faced with many common challenges which need to be addressed through cultural communication and cooperation. This China-EU High-Level Cultural Forum is a good start in this respect. We will jointly explore, from a cultural perspective, the way forward for mankind's development. China advocates full respect for the cultural tradition, social system and development path of every country and calls for an open and inclusive approach towards different civilizations. We sincerely hope to learn from the achievements of all civilizations through extensive cooperation and work toward a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity. Let's join hands and strive to reach this worthy goal.