Since 2012, China has pushed for building cultural ties with the rest of

the world. It does this not only through the Belt & Road Initiative, a

comprehensive package for trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and much

else besides, but also through various specific educational programs, the

most famous of which include the Confucius Institute and the Luban

workshop. They're both excellent examples of how countries can work

together to promote friendly exchange and mutual benefit.

Confucius Institutes provide Chinese language courses to students in

countries while expounding on Chinese culture. They have received

overwhelming support from governments across Africa and South

America and have provided more opportunities to a large number of

people by giving them the option of working with Chinese companies

in and outside China. Often integrated into local colleges and

universities, Confucius Institutes have taken root in many local

communities and established bonds and ties. As its famous namesake,

it has provided low-cost education to many.

Luban Workshops, on the other hand, have become a pragmatic example

of China's aid model. They provide accompanying technical training to

Chinese hardware investments in developing countries, allowing local

firms to flourish on their own without direct intervention. Luban was a

talented craftsman in ancient China. Today, his disciples are helping

teach students around the world.

China will always strive for win-win cooperation on all fronts, guided

by its founding diplomatic principles of peaceful co-existence and

mutual benefit. As Confucius said more than two millennia ago,

"Greeting friends from afar, what can be more joyful?"