Baku, May 15, AZERTAC President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, according to chinadaily.com.cn. With the theme of "Exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations and a community with a shared future," the conference aims to deepen cooperation among Asian countries. Here are the highlights:Humanity needs cultural strength to address challenges aheadHumanity needs cultural strength, besides economic and technological strength, to cope with common challenges and head toward a bright future.The intensifying global challenges humanity is facing now require concerted effort from countries across the world.Asian civilizations write 'brilliant chapter' in human civilizationAsian civilizations have written a brilliant chapter in human civilization.Being one of the earliest human settlements and a major birthplace of human civilization, Asia takes up one third of the total land on Earth, has two thirds of the global population, and consists of 47 countries and more than 1,000 ethnic groups.Asian people have made incredible cultural achievements over the past thousands of years and they have started cultural exchanges and mutual learning since the early days.Asian people's aspiration for better life should become realityGeographically and culturally connected, Asian countries have experienced similar historical situations and pursue the same dream.Facing future, Asian countries should grasp overall situation and strive to turn people's aspiration for a better life into reality.Asian people expect peaceful, stable AsiaI hope all Asian countries will respect and trust each other, co-exist in harmony, expand cross-border, cross-time-and-space as well as cross-civilization exchanges, and jointly maintain the peaceful time that is more valuable than gold.Asian people expect Asia of common prosperityI hope all Asian countries will jointly promote economic globalization that is open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial to all, and work together to eliminate poverty and backwardness in some countries.Asian people expect open, integrated AsiaCivilizations will lose vitality if countries go back to isolation and cut themselves off from the rest of the world.Mutual respect, equal treatment among civilizations stressedIt is foolish to believe that one's race and civilization are superior to others, and it is disastrous to willfully reshape or even replace other civilizations.Harmonious co-existence of various civilizations called forWe should leave various civilizations in the world all in full blossom.There would be no clash of civilizations as long as people are able to appreciate the beauty of them all.Openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning among civilizations stressedExchanges and mutual learning among civilizations should be conducted in a reciprocal and equal manner, and be diversified and multi-directional. They should not be compulsory or forced, or be a one-way flow.Civilizations should keep pace with timesInnovation should be encouraged to give impetus and vitality to the progress of civilizations.Asia tourism promotion plan proposedChina is willing to implement an Asia tourism promotion plan with other countries.Chinese people made more than 160 million outbound trips in 2018 while inbound trips by overseas tourists exceeded 140 million. They are important forces for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among Chinese and foreign civilizations.Chinese civilization greatly promotes progress of human civilizationChina's paper-making, gunpowder, printing, compass, calendar, philosophy and people-oriented view have exerted profound influence in the world and greatly promoted the development process of human civilization.Chinese civilization is an open system formed during constant exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations.In the future, China will surely embrace the world with a more open posture and contribute more dynamic civilization achievements to the world.Confidence of civilization urgedAsia should enhance confidence of civilization.We should keep exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations in the world, and strive to continue writing new brilliant chapters of Asian civilizations.We should consolidate the cultural foundation of jointly building Asian community of shared future and a community with a shared future for humanity.Chinese civilization expoundedSeeking goodwill with neighbors and harmony with all nations is the Chinese way of engaging with the world.Benefiting the people and providing them with stability and prosperity are the distinctive value of Chinese civilization.Keeping reforming and innovating, and advancing with the times are the unchanged spirit of Chinese civilization.Following the rules of nature and uniting human and universe are the philosophy of existence for Chinese civilization.