Xi Jinping's Thesis of a Shared Human Destiny and its Impact on Promoting Dialogue Among Civilizations

Abstract

This study discusses the thesis of the "Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" in contemporary Chinese political thought, reviewing the intellectual and institutional transformation of this concept from its ancient philosophical roots embedded in the notion of "Tianxia" (All Under Heaven) to its constitutional and ideological institutionalization during the era of President Xi Jinping. The study highlights China's presentation of this philosophy as a moral and humanistic alternative that relies on harmony and shared prosperity in the face of Western-centrism and the clash of civilizations. Furthermore, it examines how this thesis is utilized to address cross-border existential threats, such as environmental, technological, and health crises (like the COVID-19 pandemic), emphasizing the structural interconnectedness of humanity to ensure international stability and peace. This study is divided into two main axes that reflect the development of the concept of a shared human destiny and its applications. The first axis deals with the intellectual foundations and contemporary development of the concept of a shared human destiny. It addresses the philosophical grounding of the concept through its ancient roots in the idea of ​​(Tian Xia), and how it was presented as a Chinese alternative to Western centrism, Hobbesian hegemony, and the rules of the clash of civilizations. This axis also reviews the contemporary development of the concept and its transition from moral philosophy to political doctrine and constitutional and executive institutionalization under President Xi Jinping through the principles of common prosperity and ecological civilization. The second axis is the shared destiny in the face of existential threats and the creation of international stability. It focuses on examining the Chinese perspective on existential security and the organic interdependence of humanity in the face of transnational crises such as climate change, economic crises, and the global pandemic (COVID-19). This axis also analyzes the dimensions of this approach as a basis for restructuring the international system away from the logic of deterrence and hegemony, and the limits and gains that China seeks to achieve by presenting itself as an intellectual leader for the protection of the planet.