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Editor's Note:

The concept of "Hehe" in Chinese culture, with the first "He" embodying harmony, peace and balance and the second representing convergence, unity and cooperation, is central to both the individual and collective mind-set in China. Rooted in thousands of years of philosophy, the idea of "Hehe" serves as a guiding principle for living in harmony with others, nature and oneself. In a broader context, the concept of "Hehe" has significant relevance to the world today, as addressing the global challenges we face in various areas requires the principles that "Hehe" emphasizes. Viewed through a contemporary lens, "Hehe" is a timeless and universal concept that can guide China and the world toward a more harmonious, peaceful and balanced future. The Global Times gathers opinions from experts and scholars around the world to explore the global significance of "Hehe" culture from various perspectives. This is the fifth piece of the series.




Geopolitical conflicts continued to escalate throughout 2024. As we enter 2025, the international situation remains volatile, with security conflicts characterized by unilateralism and zero-sum confrontations continuing to erode the foundation of global cooperation. This harsh reality underscores the scientific validity and importance of China's security concept, which emphasizes common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. China has worked to restore world peace, save lives, and inject much-needed stability into a world torn by turmoil, demonstrating the cultural depth of its Hehe philosophy, which emphasizes harmony and coexistence, as well as its irreplaceable role in maintaining peace and security in today's world.

China's confidence and self-awareness in pursuing a path of peaceful development stem from the deep roots of the Chinese cultural concepts of "harmony" and "coexistence." The advocacy of harmony and unity, along with the view of a world where there are no outsiders, has been championed by ancient Chinese sages, who promoted cooperation and honored harmony in their approach to affairs.

From the proposal of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence over 70 years ago to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind in the new era, from the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in neighborhood diplomacy to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and from advocating a new security concept based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination to the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the development of China's foreign and security policies has always been underpinned by a clear and consistent thread of harmony and unity. 

Rooted in the values of harmony and coexistence, China's diplomacy has consistently upheld the banner of peace, development and win-win cooperation, steadfastly championing multilateralism, fairness and justice, and open cooperation. China has remained resolute in its role as a host, promoter, and maintainer of peace. Guided by the values of harmony and coexistence, China has vigorously promoted the BRI and the GSI, with 155 countries joining the big family of Belt and Road cooperation. 119 countries and international organizations have also given support to the GSI.

From the perspective of harmony and coexistence, human development requires cooperation and sharing. The key to achieving this value lies in harmony. The spirit of Hehe not only inherits traditional culture, but also achieves a historical leap. Hehe is an original concept of Chinese culture. It not only means cooperation and unity, but also reflects the integrity of the relationship between people as well as their connections with society and nature. 

The GSI is an innovative initiative that contains a harmonious concept, systematic thinking and dialectical principles capable of addressing the global security dilemma. It begins with the premise of safeguarding the common security of people across all countries and creatively defines mankind as an indivisible security community. The security of all countries is closely interconnected, and we oppose the pursuit of one's own security at the cost of others' security. It emphasizes that a country's security is built on the foundation of universal security among countries. Cooperation is the only effective response to the common security challenges facing humanity. All countries and non-state actors should adhere to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, seeking peace through cooperation and security through collaboration. History has proven that only by upholding the principle of indivisible security can we construct a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture, while fostering a global security framework based on fairness, justice, and shared development.

Without a genuine acknowledgment of the concept of Hehe, it is impossible to apply the principles of minimizing conflicts and maximizing mutual benefits in the field of security, or to completely discard the zero-sum and Cold War mentality. In this sense, promoting the idea of Hehe aligns with the urgent need for the world today to address the deficit of peace, and imparts new significance to the ancient Chinese concept of harmony in the contemporary context.

From a theoretical perspective, the concept of Hehe helps countries approach the various uncertainties they face in a holistic and dialectical manner, reducing mutual misperception and strategic misjudgment, thereby maximizing the potential for common security. The idea of harmonious coexistence transcends Western security theories such as the security dilemmas, Thucydides Trap and Kindleberger Trap, facilitating the international community's escape from the Western monopoly on security discourse and fostering a new consensus on security. At the same time, it will enhance China's international discourse power on security and promote the formation of an international security discourse system with Chinese characteristics.

From a practical perspective, China is advancing and perfecting a global coexistence system for security that spans multiple fields and levels. Through joint efforts with other countries, the notion of humanity sharing a common future has been incorporated into multiple resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations and various multilateral documents. The goal of building a community with a shared future has been established in fields such as cybersecurity, climate change and health. China advocates a world economy that is cooperative, stable, open, innovative and eco-friendly. It has proposed a modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, is eco-friendly, and is underpinned by peace and security, which have been greatly welcomed by countries in the Global South.

Those who share the same ideals and follow the same path can be partners; those who seek common ground while shelving differences can also be partners. China has established partnerships with more than 110 countries and international organizations, and has made efforts to build communities with a shared future with particular regions, including Central Asia, ASEAN, countries in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin, Arab states, and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Notably, Chinese and African leaders have agreed to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, which reflects the strong desire of over 2.8 billion people in China and Africa to stand together through adversity and move forward hand in hand. The new realm of harmonious coexistence is expanding.

In the face of global uncertainties, China remains unwavering in its commitment to being a force for peace and unity. The Chinese security concepts and policy principles, rooted in Hehe culture, align with the common aspirations of the vast majority of countries and conform to the objective laws of civilizational progress. Hence, these ideas are bound to expand the common ground of security interests among all parties and promote greater unity and cooperation within the international community. 

The author is a professor at the University of International Relations. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn