The Narrative Structure and Contemporary Value of the Discourse “Standing on the Side of Human Civilizational Progress”

Today, the changes unseen in a century in the world are accelerating, and exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations continue to deepen; accompanying this, conflicts and frictions are also becoming increasingly intense. “Where is human civilization headed?” has become a major issue of the times that concerns the whole world and urgently demands a response. Xi Jinping emphasized, “Today, humanity once again faces a choice between peace and war, dialogue and confrontation, win-win and zero-sum. The Chinese people firmly stand on the side of history’s correctness and on the side of human civilizational progress.” This major political judgment articulates China’s attitude and propositions regarding diverse civilizations, signifies the direction of development and progress of Chinese civilization, and manifests China’s lofty pursuit of building a new order for human civilization. At the civilizational level, it provides a feasible Chinese solution to the question “What is wrong with the world? What should we do?”

当今世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，不同文明之间的交流互鉴持续走向纵深，与之相伴随的，冲突和摩擦也愈发激烈。“人类文明向何处去”成为全世界共同关切且亟待回应的重大时代课题。习近平强调，“今天，人类又面临和平还是战争、对话还是对抗、共赢还是零和的抉择。中国人民坚定站在历史正确一边、站在人类文明进步一边”。这一重大政治论断表明我国对待多元文明的态度和主张，表征中华文明的发展和进步方向，彰显出我国对于构建人类文明新秩序的崇高追求，在文明层面对“世界怎么了?我们怎么办?”给出了切实可行的中国方案。

I. The Generative Logic of the Discourse “Standing on the Side of Human Civilizational Progress”

一、“站在人类文明进步一边”话语的生成逻辑

“Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” is a political discourse with distinct contemporary characteristics and Chinese features, proposed by the Communist Party of China based on the general trend of human civilizational development and in response to the epochal issues of human civilizational development. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, when elaborating on the characteristic that “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of peaceful development,” unequivocally stated that we firmly “stand on the side of history’s correctness and on the side of human civilizational progress.” Subsequently, in his 2023 New Year’s message, Xi Jinping pointed out that “the century-old changes are accelerating, and the world is not peaceful,” and we firmly “stand on the side of history’s correctness and on the side of human civilizational progress.” At the symposium commemorating the 130th anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong’s birth, Xi Jinping emphasized that we will firmly “stand on the side of history’s correctness and on the side of human civilizational progress, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and promote the common values of all mankind.” As an inherent requirement for Chinese-path modernization to create a new form of human civilization, “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” is a major political proposition put forward by the Party Central Committee against the backdrop of the accelerating changes unseen in a century, aimed at solving the problems of global civilizational governance and promoting the construction of a new order for human civilization. It has a distinct practical orientation.

“站在人类文明进步一边”是中国共产党立足人类文明发展大势、回应人类文明发展时代课题，提出的具有鲜明时代特征与中国特色的政治话语。党的二十大报告在阐释“中国式现代化是走和平发展道路的现代化”这一特色时，旗帜鲜明地提出，我们坚定“站在历史正确的一边、站在人类文明进步的一边”。此后，习近平在2023年新年贺词中指出，“百年变局加速演进，世界并不太平”,我们坚定“站在历史正确的一边、站在人类文明进步的一边”。在纪念毛泽东同志诞辰130周年座谈会上，习近平强调，我们将坚定“站在历史正确的一边、站在人类文明进步的一边，高举和平、发展、合作、共赢旗帜，弘扬全人类共同价值”。作为中国式现代化创造人类文明新形态的内在要求，“站在人类文明进步一边”是在世界百年未有之大变局加速演进的时代背景下，党中央为破解全球文明治理难题、推动构建人类文明新秩序提出的重大政治命题，具有鲜明的现实指向。

Reality inherits history and points toward the future; theory is the induction, summary, and scholarly interpretation of history and reality. Only by systematically exploring the generative logic of this discourse from the theoretical, historical, and practical levels can its explanatory power and guiding force in the practice of human civilization be enhanced.

现实承继历史并指向未来，理论是对历史和现实的归纳、总结和学理性阐释。只有从理论、历史与现实层面系统探究这一话语的生成逻辑，才能提升其在人类文明实践中的解释力与引领力。

1. Theoretical Origins: The Contemporary Manifestation of the Marxist Theory of World History and the Theory of Civilizational Exchange

1.理论溯源：马克思主义世界历史理论与文明交往理论的时代彰显

The Marxist theory of world history and the theory of civilizational exchange provide profound theoretical support for the discourse “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.”

马克思主义世界历史理论与文明交往理论为“站在人类文明进步一边”话语提供了深厚的学理支撑。

First, “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” profoundly grasps the objective law revealed by Marxism that history increasingly evolves into world history. Marx and Engels pointed out: “The more the original isolation of separate nationalities is destroyed by the developed mode of production and intercourse and the division of labor between various nations naturally brought forth by these, the more history becomes world history.” This assertion indicates that the world-historical character of history is a product driven by the dual forces of the development of productive forces and universal intercourse, an objective inevitability independent of human will. In this historical process, the bourgeoisie, through means such as colonial expansion, the export of commodities and capital, and cultural and ideological penetration, breaks down the geographical and political barriers of backward nations and regions, dismantling their closed natural economies. This construction of world history, dominated by capital expansion and colonialism, increasingly leads to imbalances and ruptures in the evolution of human civilization. Engels pointed out: “With every step forward of civilization, inequality has advanced simultaneously.” Capitalist civilization, with its core characteristics of private ownership, the unrestrained expansion of capital, class exploitation, and oppression, affects the fairness and justice of civilizational development. This determines that the stage of world history driven by capitalism cannot be the ultimate form of human civilization; it merely lays the foundation for the emergence of a higher form of civilization. Capitalist civilization has historical rationality, but this rationality is not eternal; human civilization is a process of dynamic evolution. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” advocates using historical initiative to resolve the inherent limitations of capitalist civilization, ensuring that the fruits of human civilizational progress achieve universal and balanced distribution.

其一，“站在人类文明进步一边”深刻把握马克思主义所揭示的历史日益向世界历史演进的客观规律。马克思恩格斯指出：“各民族的原始封闭状态由于日益完善的生产方式、交往以及因交往而自然形成的不同民族之间的分工消灭得越是彻底，历史也就越是成为世界历史。”这一论断表明，历史的世界性是生产力发展与普遍交往双重驱动的产物，是不以人的意志为转移的客观必然。在这一历史进程中，资产阶级通过殖民扩张、商品和资本输出、文化与意识形态渗透等手段，打破落后民族国家和地区的地理与政治壁垒，瓦解其封闭的自然经济体系。这种以资本扩张和殖民主义为主导的世界历史建构，日益导致人类文明演进的失衡与断裂。恩格斯指出：“文明每前进一步，不平等也同时前进一步。”资本主义文明以私有制、资本无序扩张、阶级剥削和压迫等为核心特质，影响文明发展的公平性和正义性。这就决定了由资本主义推动的世界历史阶段不可能成为人类文明的终极形态，其只是为更高阶段文明形态的产生奠定基础。资本主义文明有历史合理性，但这种合理性并非永恒，人类文明是动态演化的过程。“站在人类文明进步一边”主张以历史主动精神破解资本主义文明的内在局限性，确保人类文明进步成果实现普惠均衡。

Second, “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” is a profound grasp of the historical trend of world civilizational evolution elucidated by Marxism. Marx and Engels pointed out: “The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all, even the most barbarian, nations into civilization. The cheap prices of commodities are the heavy artillery with which it batters down all Chinese walls... It compels all nations, on pain of extinction, to adopt the bourgeois mode of production; it compels them to introduce what it calls civilization into their midst, i.e., to become bourgeois themselves. In one word, it creates a world after its own image.” [n1] This shows that the world-historical development of material and spiritual production breaks down the boundaries of nation-states; among these, the world-historical development of spiritual production becomes an important driving force for pushing civilizational exchange beyond the confines of nation-states. Unlike material production, which focuses on breaking down geographical spatial barriers, spiritual production centers on the cross-national, cross-border, and cross-regional dissemination and mutual learning of ideas, values, and cultures, promoting deep integration among different civilizations. The synergistic effect of these two types of production effectively confirms that the increasingly world-historical nature of human civilization is an irreversible historical trend. Marx and Engels believed that “the productive forces, especially inventions, created in a particular region, whether they will be lost in later development, depends entirely on the extent of the extension of intercourse.” Only through universal intercourse and competition can each nation learn from and absorb various elements and resources beneficial to its own development, promoting the iterative renewal of its own civilization.

其二，“站在人类文明进步一边”是对马克思主义所阐明的世界文明演进的历史潮流的深刻把握。马克思恩格斯指出：“资产阶级，由于开拓了世界市场，使一切国家的生产和消费都成为世界性的了。”由此表明，物质与精神生产的世界性发展打破了各民族国家的界域，其中，精神生产的世界性发展更是成为推动文明交往突破民族国家界域的重要驱动力。与物质生产侧重于打破地理空间壁垒不同，精神生产以思想、价值观念、文化的跨民族、国别和区域的传播与互鉴为核心，推动不同文明之间实现深度交融。两类生产协同作用，切实印证了人类文明日益世界性是不可逆转的历史潮流。马克思恩格斯认为，“某一个地域创造出来的生产力，特别是发明，在往后的发展中是否会失传，完全取决于交往扩展的情况”。各民族只有在普遍的交往和竞争中，才能借鉴和吸纳有益于自身发展的各类要素和资源，推动自身文明实现迭代更新。

The discourse “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” respects the laws of world historical evolution and the laws of human civilizational development. It anchors the evolutionary trend of human civilization with a grand historical perspective, actively conforms to the inherent logic of civilizational development, and assists the leap of the form of human civilization to a higher stage.

“站在人类文明进步一边”话语尊重世界历史演进规律和人类文明发展规律，以大历史观锚定人类文明的演进趋势，主动契合文明发展的内在逻辑，助力人类文明形态向更高阶段跃进。

2. Historical Mirror: A Profound Summary of the Historical Experiences and Lessons of Human Civilizational Development

2.历史镜鉴：对人类文明发展历史经验和教训的深刻总结

Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground (守正创新) is a basic principle refined by the Communist Party of China on the basis of profoundly summarizing the historical experiences and lessons of human civilizational development, aimed at promoting the progress and development of human civilization. Xi Jinping pointed out: “What we are engaged in is a great cause without precedent. Only by upholding fundamental principles can we avoid losing our direction and committing subversive errors; only by breaking new ground can we grasp the times and lead the times.” This indicates that the new form of human civilization created by the Party leading the people in the practice of advancing the great cause is a conscious application and profound manifestation of this historical dialectic of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground.

守正创新是中国共产党在深刻总结人类文明发展历史经验和教训的基础之上，提炼出的推进人类文明进步与发展的基本法则。习近平指出：“我们从事的是前无古人的伟大事业，守正才能不迷失方向、不犯颠覆性错误，创新才能把握时代、引领时代。”由此表明，党领导人民在推进伟大事业的实践中创造出人类文明新形态，是对守正创新这一历史辩证法的自觉运用与深度彰显。

Analyzed from the macroscopic perspective of the history of socialism, the evolution of human civilization contains a dialectical unity of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, which also constitutes the core thread of the continuous development of socialist civilization. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Viewed from the broad perspective of 500 years of world socialism, we are still in the historical epoch indicated by Marxism.” This judgment provides a historical coordinate for us to examine the basic path of human civilizational progress. The course of world socialism over more than 500 years, from utopia to science, from theory to practice, and from the practice of one country to the development of many countries, is in essence a history of the evolution of socialist civilization that upholds fundamental principles and breaks new ground. Among this, the key to upholding fundamental principles lies in upholding the “fundamental principles” of the basic tenets of Marxism, the basic principles of scientific socialism, and the leadership of the proletarian party; this is the fundamental prerequisite for ensuring that the socialist cause does not lose its direction. Deviating from this prerequisite will lead to serious consequences; the collapse of the Soviet Communist Party and the disintegration of the Soviet Union are the most profound examples. After the victory of the October Revolution in Russia, Soviet Russia was gradually built into the world’s first socialist country, transforming scientific socialism from theory into a real form of civilization. However, in its long-term development, the Soviet Union gradually deviated from and even abandoned Marxism, “comprehensively negating Soviet history and the history of the Soviet Communist Party, negating Lenin, negating Stalin, engaging in historical nihilism, throwing ideology into chaos, and rendering Party organizations at all levels almost completely ineffective.” This deviation from and even abandonment of fundamental positions and principles—this “failure to uphold fundamental principles”—ultimately led to the Soviet Union’s disintegration under the superposition of multiple internal and external factors. If one-sided emphasis is placed on upholding fundamental principles while neglecting innovation, detaching from the conditions of the times, the specific realities of one’s own country, and the needs of practical development, it will also cause socialist development to fall into rigidity and lose its vitality and dynamism. Only by exploring truth in the dialectical unity of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground can a proletarian party truly promote the continuous development of human civilization.

从社会主义发展史的宏观视角分析，人类文明演进内含守正与创新的辩证统一关系，其也构成社会主义文明赓续发展的核心脉络。习近平指出：“从世界社会主义500年的大视野来看，我们依然处在马克思主义所指明的历史时代。”这一判断为我们审视人类文明进步的基本路径提供历史坐标。世界社会主义500多年，从空想到科学、从理论到实践、从一国实践到多国发展的历程，本质上是一部守正创新的社会主义文明演进史。其中，守正的关键在于，守马克思主义基本原理、科学社会主义基本原则和无产阶级政党领导之“正”,这是确保社会主义事业不迷失方向的根本前提。背离这一前提，则会导致严重的后果，苏共垮台、苏联解体就是最深刻的例证。俄国十月革命胜利以后，苏维埃俄国逐步建设成为世界上第一个社会主义国家，将科学社会主义从理论转化为现实的文明形态。然而，苏联在长期发展中逐步偏离乃至放弃马克思主义，“全面否定苏联历史、苏共历史，否定列宁，否定斯大林，搞历史虚无主义，思想搞乱了，各级党组织几乎没任何作用了”。这种背离乃至抛弃根本立场与原则的“不守正”,使得苏联最终在内外多重因素的叠加作用下走向解体。若片面强调守正、忽视创新，脱离时代条件、本国具体实际及实践发展需求，也会导致社会主义发展陷入僵化境地，丧失生机与活力。无产阶级政党唯有在守正与创新的辩证统一中探索真理，才能真正推动人类文明的赓续发展。

The Communist Party of China has united and led the people to successfully advance and expand Chinese-path modernization, creating a new form of human civilization. This new form of civilization manifests the Party’s historical consciousness of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. The Party adheres to the dialectical unity of the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of China’s social development, exploring a new path of civilizational development that transcends Western modernization, and constructing a new pattern of modernization development where diverse civilizations coexist and thrive together. Among this, upholding the “fundamental principles” of the basic tenets of Marxism, the basic principles of scientific socialism, and the leadership of the Communist Party of China has solidified the foundation of the new form of human civilization. Innovation is profoundly embodied in the Party’s historical process of responding to the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, continuously adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, deeply practicing the Two Integrations [n], and injecting into the new form of human civilization the practical power rooted in the specific realities of the country’s development and responding to the issues of the times. It is precisely by following this dialectical unity that Chinese-path modernization has achieved an elevation from the general laws of world modernization to the “Chinese-style” characteristics, and then from Chinese characteristics to the “universality” of the new form of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization has, with facts, declared the bankruptcy of the “end of history” thesis, broken the path dependence on Western modernization, and provided a completely new choice for developing countries to achieve modernization. This completely new choice conforms to the laws of human civilizational development, responds to the common concerns of human society, and possesses the civilizational cores of scientificity, progressiveness, value, and openness; it is the greatest tribute to human civilization.

中国共产党团结带领人民成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化，创造了人类文明新形态。这一文明新形态彰显出党守正创新的历史自觉。党坚持科学社会主义理论逻辑和中国社会发展历史逻辑的辩证统一，探索出一条超越西方现代化的文明发展新路径，构建起多元文明共融共生的现代化发展新格局。其中，守马克思主义基本原理、科学社会主义基本原则和中国共产党领导之“正”,筑牢了人类文明新形态的根基。创新则深刻地体现为，党在回应中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问的历史进程中，持续推进马克思主义中国化时代化，深入践行“两个结合”,为人类文明新形态注入立足本国发展具体实际、回应时代课题的实践伟力。正是遵循这种辩证统一，使得中国式现代化实现了从世界现代化建设之一般规律到“中国式”之特色，再从中国特色到人类文明新形态之“普遍”的升华。中国式现代化用事实宣告了“历史终结论”的破产，打破了西方现代化的路径依赖，为广大发展中国家实现现代化提供了一种全新选择。这一全新选择契合人类文明发展规律，回应了人类社会共同关切，兼具科学性、先进性、价值性和开放性等文明内核，是对人类文明最大的礼敬。

History has irrefutably proven that civilization arises from practice and will inevitably undergo iterative upgrades as practice develops. Conforming to the trends of human civilizational development allows civilization to advance; conversely, it will fall behind the times and be eliminated by history. Chinese-path modernization has created a new form of human civilization, representing the most resolute “taking sides” on the side of human civilizational progress. It provides an operable Chinese solution for scientifically answering a series of questions of the times, such as “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.”

历史雄辩地证明，文明在实践中产生，也必然会随着实践的发展实现迭代升级。顺应人类文明发展趋势就能实现文明的进阶，反之，则会落后于时代，被历史所淘汰。中国式现代化创造了人类文明新形态，是对人类文明进步最坚定的“站边”。其为科学回答“站在人类文明进步一边”等一系列时代之问提供了具有可操作性的中国方案。

3. Necessity of Reality: An Inevitable Choice in Responding to the Uncertainties of Human Civilizational Development

3.现实所需：应对人类文明发展不确定性的必然选择

The world today is in a new period of major development, major transformation, and major adjustment. Traditional geopolitical conflicts and ideological confrontations are intensifying, and the situation of dialogue and exchange between different civilizations is complex and volatile. All these factors have increased the uncertainty of human civilizational development. Against this backdrop, Xi Jinping, standing at the strategic height of coordinating the Two Overall Situations [n], has repeatedly emphasized that the Chinese people are firmly committed to “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.” This not only points out the direction of civilizational development for our country amidst chaos and change, demonstrating China’s proactive responsibility to inject certainty into human civilizational progress, but also provides action guidelines for solving global development challenges and enhancing the common well-being of all humanity.

当今世界处于新的大发展大变革大调整时期，传统地缘政治冲突和意识形态对抗愈演愈烈，不同文明之间的对话交流形势复杂多变，这些都加剧了人类文明发展的不确定性。在此背景之下，习近平站在统筹“两个大局”的战略高度反复强调，中国人民始终坚定“站在人类文明进步一边”。这既为我国在乱局与变局中指明文明发展方向，彰显出我国为人类文明进步注入确定性的主动担当，也为解决全球性发展难题、增进全人类共同福祉提供了行动遵循。

The evolutionary trends and developmental patterns of human civilization are undergoing structural adjustments. Currently, strategic competition among major powers is increasingly fierce, geopolitical conflicts erupt one after another, the tide of anti-globalization continues to escalate, concepts such as Cold War mentality, the law of the jungle, and zero-sum game are resurging, and unilateralism, protectionism, hegemonism, and power politics are compounding and resonating, bringing enormous impact to the healthy construction of the global civilizational ecosystem. This is concentratedly manifested in the fact that some Western countries, disregarding the international order and multilateral rules formed after World War II, use means such as unilateral sanctions, public opinion manipulation, and technological blockades to compress the space for survival and development of other countries, vainly attempting to achieve the domination of Western civilization over non-Western civilizations, and thereby dominate the historical process of human civilization. In particular, some Western developed capitalist countries, relying on their advantageous position in the restructuring of the global order and the dissemination of discourse, turn differences in political systems and values among countries into tools for strategic confrontation, adopting an attitude of “selective compliance” towards the multilateral system. These actions have set up obstacles to normal exchanges between different civilizations, brought numerous uncertainties to world peace, stability, and development, and will ultimately hinder the progress of human civilization.

人类文明的演进态势和发展格局正在经历结构性调整。当前，大国战略博弈日益激烈，地缘政治冲突此起彼伏，逆全球化浪潮持续升级，冷战思维、丛林法则、零和博弈等观念沉渣泛起，单边主义、保护主义、霸权主义与强权政治等叠加共振，给全球文明生态的良性建构带来了巨大冲击。这集中体现在，一些西方国家无视第二次世界大战后形成的国际秩序和多边主义规则，利用单边制裁、舆论操控、技术封锁等手段，压缩其他国家的生存与发展空间，妄图实现西方文明对非西方文明的统治，进而主宰人类文明的历史进程。尤其是一些西方发达资本主义国家，凭借自身在全球秩序重构与话语传播中的优势地位，把各国在政治制度与价值观方面的差异演变为战略对抗的工具，对多边体系采取“选择性遵守”的态度。这些行为给不同文明体之间的正常交往设置了障碍，也给世界的和平、稳定与发展带来诸多不确定性，最终将阻碍人类文明进步。

Currently, the Global South is rising collectively. As an important member of the Global South, China has always contributed to building a new, better order for human civilization. However, some Western countries regard China as a strategic competitor, creating various alliance systems to exclude and contain China, pushing the global political landscape towards grouping and camp formation. Currently, a series of problems and contradictions in Western capitalist countries, such as imbalanced development, malfunctioning political systems, and intensifying social unrest, have become prominent. Capitalist countries are not a so-called “monolithic bloc”; there are also irreconcilable differences in interests and conflicts in values among them. From the perspective of civilizational practice, Chinese-path modernization has created a new form of human civilization, effectively responding to humanity’s universal demands for a better civilizational order, and demonstrating the shaping power of China’s development over the global civilizational landscape. However, some Western countries, in the international public opinion arena, deliberately distort the spiritual essence of Chinese civilization, weaken the international community’s rational and objective understanding of Chinese civilization, and undermine their own people’s identification with Chinese civilization, vainly attempting to erode the ideological and value foundations of the construction of Chinese civilizational subjectivity. What is more, they regard the Western civilizational model as a “universal standard,” one-sidedly judging the development path of Chinese civilization and interfering with the autonomous direction of Chinese civilizational innovation. This, to a certain extent, hinders Chinese civilization from making greater contributions to human civilizational progress and will inevitably form a potential constraint on the sustainable development of world civilizational diversity.

当前，全球南方群体性崛起。作为全球南方的重要成员，中国始终为推动构建更加美好的人类文明新秩序贡献力量。但一些西方国家却将中国视为战略竞争对手，打造排斥与遏制中国的各类同盟体系，推动全球政治格局呈现出集团化和阵营化趋势。当前，西方资本主义国家发展失衡、政治体制失灵、社会动荡加剧等一系列问题和矛盾凸显。资本主义国家并非所谓的“铁板一块”,它们之间也存在着难以弥合的利益分歧与价值观念冲突。从文明实践来看，中国式现代化创造了人类文明新形态，有效回应了人类对更好文明秩序的普遍诉求，彰显出中国发展对全球文明格局的塑造能力。但一些西方国家却在国际舆论场肆意歪曲中华文明的精神实质，削弱国际社会对中华文明的理性和客观认知，消解本国人民对中华文明的认同，妄图侵蚀中华文明主体性建构的思想和价值根基。更有甚者，将西方文明模式奉为“普世标准”,片面评判中华文明的发展路径，干扰中华文明创新的自主方向。这在一定程度上阻碍着中华文明为人类文明进步作出更大贡献，也必将对世界文明多样性的持续发展形成潜在制约。

All countries in the world are in a community with a shared future for mankind, where weal and woe are shared. Only through mutual respect, equality and inclusiveness, mutual trust and mutual learning can we promote the continuous development and progress of human civilization. The current international community faces global challenges such as public security, ecological crises, and poverty governance. This requires nation-states to break down barriers, abandon the narrow mindset of drawing lines based on political systems and ideologies, firmly “stand on the side of human civilizational progress,” and strengthen communication, dialogue, and cooperation to jointly solve current global development challenges.

世界各国都处于休戚与共的人类命运共同体之中，唯有相互尊重、平等包容、互信互鉴，才能推动人类文明不断发展和进步。当前国际社会面临诸如公共安全、生态危机、贫困治理等全球性难题，这要求各民族国家打破隔阂，摒弃以政治制度和意识形态划界的狭隘思维，坚定“站在人类文明进步一边”,加强沟通、对话与协作，共同破解当下全球性发展难题。

II. The Narrative Structure of the Discourse “Standing on the Side of Human Civilizational Progress”

二、“站在人类文明进步一边”话语的叙事结构

To narrate well the political discourse “standing on the side of human civilizational progress,” the key is to construct its basic narrative structure. What is called narrative structure refers to the internal logical framework built when elaborating a given proposition. The narrative structure of the discourse “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” constructs a complete logical chain through the dialectical unity of ontology, epistemology, axiology, and practicology. The ontological narrative answers the fundamental question “what kind of civilization should humanity build?” The epistemological narrative establishes the cognitive principles for approaching civilizational differences and interactions, responding to the cognitive proposition “what are the core connotations and essential stipulations of human civilizational progress?” The axiological narrative anchors the value coordinates of human civilizational progress, answering the core concern “which side to stand on?” The practicological narrative clarifies the practical path of human civilizational progress, responding to the real-world demand “how to firmly stand on the side of human civilizational progress?” These four major narratives progress layer by layer, support each other, form a logically rigorous and richly connotative narrative framework, and construct a complete discursive narrative system for “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.”

叙述好“站在人类文明进步一边”这一政治话语，关键是要建构其基本的叙事结构。所谓叙事结构，是指对某一命题进行阐发时所构建的内在逻辑框架。“站在人类文明进步一边”的话语叙事结构，以本体论、认识论、价值论、实践论的辩证统一构建起完整的逻辑链条。本体论叙事回答“人类要建设什么样的文明”这一根本问题。认识论叙事确立了对待文明差异与互动的认知遵循，回应“人类文明进步的核心意涵和本质规定是什么”的认知命题。价值论叙事锚定人类文明进步的价值坐标，回答“站在哪一边”的核心关切。实践论叙事则明确了人类文明进步的实践路径，回应“怎样坚定站在人类文明进步一边”的现实诉求。四大叙事层层递进、相互支撑，形成逻辑严密、内涵丰富的叙事框架，建构起“站在人类文明进步一边”的完整话语叙事体系。

1. Ontological Narrative: The Coordinated Development of the “Five Civilizations” [n4] Constitutes the Basic Pattern of Human Civilizational Progress

1.本体论叙事：“五大文明”协调发展构成人类文明进步的基本格局

“What kind of civilization should humanity build?” is a rational inquiry into the essence of civilization’s existence and its ideal form. Historical materialism holds that the law of the movement of the principal contradiction in society is the basic law of the development of human society. Human civilizational progress takes the contradictory movement between social productive forces and relations of production, and between the economic base and the superstructure, as its core driving force; this contradictory movement drives the qualitative leap of civilizational forms. The capitalist system promoted the rapid development of productive forces at a certain stage, but the profit-seeking nature of capital determines that under the framework of the capitalist system, the various elements of civilization find it difficult to achieve coordinated development, and the one-dimensional development of material civilization often comes at the cost of squeezing the development space of other civilizational elements.

“人类要建设什么样的文明”是对文明存在本质与理想形态的理性追问。唯物史观认为，社会基本矛盾运动规律是人类社会发展的基本规律。人类文明进步以社会生产力和生产关系、经济基础和上层建筑之间的矛盾运动作为核心驱动力，这种矛盾运动推动文明形态实现质的跃升。资本主义制度在一定阶段促进了生产力的迅速发展，但资本的逐利性决定，资本主义制度框架下各文明要素难以实现协调发展，物质文明的单向度发展往往以挤压其他文明要素的发展空间为代价。

Human civilization ought to be an organic unity of the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization. This is the core connotation orientation of creating a new form of human civilization through Chinese-path modernization. The concept of coordinated development of the “five civilizations” breaks through the single development path centered on economic growth, advocates taking the promotion of people’s free and comprehensive development and the creation of a higher quality of life for humanity as value goals, and on the whole constructs a composite civilizational theoretical system in which people and people, people and nature, and people and society coexist harmoniously, and all elements of civilizational development promote each other. This manifests a kind of civilizational development wisdom that is more inclusive, morally principled, and sustainable. This injects lasting momentum into solving the problem of imbalanced civilizational development in the current era and achieving the comprehensive progress of human civilization.

人类文明理应是物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展的有机统一体，这是以中国式现代化创造人类文明新形态的核心内涵指向。“五大文明”协调发展理念突破了以经济增长为核心的单一发展路径，主张把推动人的自由全面发展、为人类创造更高品质生活作为价值目标，在总体上构建出人与人、人与自然、人与社会和谐共处，文明发展各要素共促共进的复合型文明理论体系，彰显出一种更具包容性、道义性与可持续性的文明发展智慧。这为破解当今时代文明发展失衡难题，实现人类文明全面进步注入持久动能。

The deeper implication of the ontological narrative of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” lies in its viewing the whole of human society as an organically unified civilizational community. Traditional international relations theory holds that the world is an arena composed of atomized sovereign actors oriented towards safeguarding the core interests of their own nations and peoples. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” breaks through boundaries of nation, ethnicity, region, and culture, reinterpreting the state of existence of the international community. Although countries around the world differ in social systems, historical cultures, and political traditions, they all live in the same “global village” and all face common risks and challenges. Only by breaking down barriers and building consensus can we effectively prevent and resolve various risks and challenges and safeguard common interests. Its underlying logic is the recognition that the civilizations of every country and nation are important components of human civilization; there are no “aliens.” This dismantles the foundation of the “clash of civilizations” and opens up a new realm of the modern view of human civilization.

“站在人类文明进步一边”本体论叙事的深层次意蕴在于，其将整个人类社会视作有机统一的文明共同体。传统国际关系理论认为，世界是由一个个原子化的、以维护本国家和民族的核心利益为导向的主权行为体构成的竞技场。“站在人类文明进步一边”突破了国家、民族、地域及文化等界域，重新诠释了国际社会的存在状态。世界各国尽管在社会制度、历史文化和政治传统等方面存在差异，但同住“地球村”,都会面对共同的风险挑战。只有打破隔阂、凝聚共识，方能有效防范化解各类风险挑战，维护共同利益。其底层逻辑是，承认各个国家和民族的文明都是人类文明的重要组成部分，不存在“异类”。这瓦解了“文明冲突”的基础，开辟出人类现代文明观的新境界。

2. Epistemological Narrative: “Equality, Mutual Learning, Dialogue, and Inclusiveness” Are the Cognitive Principles for Human Civilizational Progress

2.认识论叙事：“平等、互鉴、对话、包容”是人类文明进步的认知遵循

Analyzed from the epistemological level, the “side” in “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” advocates grasping the evolutionary trend of human civilization from the perspective of historical materialism, upholding and promoting the view of civilization characterized by equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, and constructing a new type of civilizational ecology where “each appreciates its own beauty, and beauty is shared by all.” [n5]

从认识论层面剖析，“站在人类文明进步一边”中的“一边”,主张以历史唯物主义视角把握人类文明演进趋势，坚持弘扬平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观，构建“各美其美，美美与共”的新型文明生态。

First, recognizing and respecting civilizational diversity is the basic prerequisite for human civilizational progress. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” denies viewing historical development as a unidirectional evolution such as “tradition–modernity” or “low–high”; this is a critique of the Western “linear view of history.” When this linear evaluative framework is discarded, there are no longer superior or inferior, innate advantages or disadvantages between civilizations, only differences in characteristics and regions. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Every country and every nation, regardless of strength or size, their thoughts and cultures should be recognized and respected.” Civilizations are equal; different peoples can, based on their own political practices, history, and cultural traditions, explore modernization paths and civilizational forms suitable for their own nations. This is an epistemology of multiple modernities. As long as it is conducive to enhancing people’s well-being and promoting social harmony, stability, and development, it is a manifestation of progress. We should allow the unique value of each civilization to be manifested and inherited amidst the wave of modernization.

其一，承认和尊重文明多样性是人类文明进步的基本前提。“站在人类文明进步一边”否认将历史发展视为诸如“传统—现代”“低级—高级”这类单向式演进的认知方式，这是对西方“线性史观”的批判。当摒弃这一线性评判框架，文明之间便再无高下、先天的优劣差别，只有特色和地域之别。习近平指出：“每个国家、每个民族不分强弱、不分大小，其思想文化都应该得到承认和尊重。”文明是平等的，不同民族都可以基于自身的政治实践、历史和文化传统探索出适合本民族的现代化路径和文明形态。这是一种多元现代性的认识论。只要有利于增进人民福祉、助力社会和谐稳定与发展，就是进步的体现，我们理应让每种文明的独特价值都能在现代化浪潮中得以彰显与传承。

Second, civilizational exchange and mutual learning is an important driving force for human civilizational progress. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” is a critique of erroneous views of civilization dominated by Western-centric thinking, such as the “theory of civilizational superiority” and the “clash of civilizations.” Some countries were once misled by erroneous views of civilization, alienating civilizational differences into “yardsticks of superiority and inferiority,” ignoring and suppressing the progressiveness of other civilizations, attempting to implement a unidirectional strategy of cultural colonial export, thus falling into a predicament of civilizational interaction. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Exchange and mutual learning are the essential requirements of civilizational development, and also an important driving force for promoting human civilizational progress and world peace and development.” In the long river of human history, the ancient Silk Road witnessed the exchange of goods, commodities, science and technology, ideas, and cultural concepts among countries along the route, achieving deep integration and prosperous development. This actually confirms that the exchange and integration of different civilizations can break down the cognitive barriers of self-centeredness, activate the internal momentum of civilizational innovation, and give birth to new civilizational achievements.

其二，文明交流互鉴是人类文明进步的重要动力。“站在人类文明进步一边”是对“文明优越论”“文明冲突论”等西方中心主义思维主导下错误文明观的批判。一些国家曾一度受错误文明观的误导，将文明差异异化为“优劣标尺”,漠视和压制其他文明的进步性，妄图实行单向度的文化殖民输出战略，从而陷入了文明交往困境。习近平指出：“交流互鉴是文明发展的本质要求，也是推动人类文明进步和世界和平和发展的重要动力。”在人类历史长河中，古丝绸之路见证了沿线国家在物产商品、科学技术、思想和文化观念等方面互通有无，深度交融，实现繁荣发展的景象。这实际上印证了，不同文明交流融合才能破除自我中心主义的认知壁垒，激活文明创新的内在动能，孕育新的文明成果。

Third, seeking common ground while reserving differences and being inclusive are important conditions for human civilizational progress. Xi Jinping pointed out that we should “break down the barriers of cultural exchange with a broad mind as vast as the sea that accepts all rivers, and absorb the nutrients of other civilizations with an attitude of inclusiveness.” “This is an important condition for enhancing the self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-reliance of one’s own nation’s thought and culture.” This view profoundly reveals that true cultural confidence is never about blindly rejecting external civilizations, but rather, on the basis of adhering to one’s own cultural subjectivity, breaking down civilizational barriers with an attitude of seeking common ground while reserving differences and being inclusive, broadening the space for civilizational mutual learning, and continuously promoting civilizational development and progress. This also deeply aligns with the value proposition of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.” All nations and countries need to base themselves on the common aspirations of human civilizational development, shape a universal and inclusive global civilizational consensus, and provide strong value support for promoting the transformation of the global civilizational governance system.

其三，求同存异、兼收并蓄是人类文明进步的重要条件。习近平指出，我们要“以海纳百川的宽广胸怀打破文化交往的壁垒，以兼收并蓄的态度汲取其他文明的养分”。“这是增强本国本民族思想文化自尊、自信、自立的重要条件”。这一观点深刻地揭示出，真正的文化自信从来不是对外部文明的盲目排斥，而是在坚守自身文化主体性的基础之上，以求同存异、兼收并蓄的态度打破文明壁垒，拓宽文明互鉴的空间，持续推动文明发展和进步。这也深度契合“站在人类文明进步一边”的价值主张。各民族国家需立足人类文明发展共同诉求，形塑出具有普遍性与包容性的全球文明共识，为推动全球文明治理体系变革提供强有力的价值支撑。

Fourth, keeping pace with the times and being bold in innovation are the core engines of human civilizational progress. Civilization is the sum total of material and spiritual achievements created by specific groups in long-term practice. The key to its development and progress lies in properly handling the dialectical relationship between civilizational inheritance and innovation. Xi Jinping emphasized: “For the sustainable development of civilization, it is necessary not only to pass down the torch from generation to generation and guard it from generation to generation, but also to adapt to the times and innovate.” Innovation is an important driving force for breaking the cognitive boundaries and resource bottlenecks of civilizational development, activating the endogenous momentum of civilizational development, and broadening the space for civilizational development. In the current era, the cross-regional and cross-national characteristics of cultural integration in civilizational innovation are becoming more distinct. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” advocates breaking the limitations of single civilizational development, encouraging all nations and countries to combine their own civilizational characteristics with the development needs of the times, absorb and learn from the outstanding achievements of other civilizations to carry out independent innovation, and on the basis of enriching the connotation and form of their own national civilizations, promote the continuous development and progress of human civilization.

其四，与时俱进、勇于创新是人类文明进步的核心引擎。文明是特定群体在长期实践中创造出来的物质与精神成果的总和，其发展与进步的关键在于处理好文明传承与创新的辩证关系。习近平强调：“文明永续发展，既需要薪火相传、代代守护，更需要顺时应势、推陈出新。”创新是打破文明发展的认知边界与资源瓶颈、激活文明发展的内生性动能、拓宽文明发展空间的重要驱动力。当今时代，文明创新的跨区域和跨国别的文化整合特质愈加鲜明。“站在人类文明进步一边”主张打破单一文明发展的局限，鼓励各民族国家都能结合自身的文明特质与时代发展需求，吸纳和借鉴其他文明的优秀成果以开展自主创新，在丰富本民族文明的内涵与形态的基础上，推动人类文明不断发展和进步。

3. Axiological Narrative: Promoting the Common Values of All Mankind Is the Core Essence of Human Civilizational Progress

3.价值论叙事：弘扬全人类共同价值是人类文明进步的核心要义

Analyzed from the axiological level, the proposition “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” advocates a people-centered approach, taking the enhancement of people’s well-being and the realization of people’s free and comprehensive development as the starting point and ultimate goal of human civilizational development, thereby ensuring that civilizational development always aligns with the overall interests and long-term value pursuits of humanity.

从价值论层面剖析，“站在人类文明进步一边”主张坚持以人民为中心，将增进人民福祉、实现人的自由全面发展作为人类文明发展的出发点和落脚点，使文明发展始终契合人类整体利益与长远价值追求。

The “universal values” of capitalism are essentially an ideological tool serving the global expansion of capital. Cloaked in the guise of absolute, abstract, and universalized values, they attempt to obscure the social reality in capitalist society where a minority, controlling the vast majority of the means of production and social wealth, imposes economic exploitation and ideological manipulation on the majority; this is their hypocrisy. “Universal values” are rooted in the social production and interaction practices of Western capitalism. They merely use the name of “universality” to forcibly export the ideological and value systems, political and economic institutional models of the bourgeoisie to the non-Western world, touting them as the “only correct” value system and institutional template. In reality, “universal values” cannot be “universal”; they are merely an ideological tool for capitalist countries to pursue hegemonism and power politics and to seize the “moral high ground.” They cannot scientifically predict the development trend of human civilization from the standpoint of the overwhelming majority.

资本主义的“普世价值”本质上是为实现资本全球化扩张而服务的意识形态工具。其以绝对、抽象、普遍化的价值外衣作伪装，试图遮蔽资本主义社会中掌握绝大部分生产资料和社会财富的少数人对多数人实施经济剥削和思想操控的社会现实，具有虚伪性。“普世价值”植根于西方资本主义的社会生产与交往实践，它只是借“普世”之名，向非西方世界强制输出资产阶级的思想和价值观念体系、政治和经济制度模式，并将之标榜为“唯一正确”的价值体系与制度模板。实际上，“普世价值”并不能“普世”,只是资本主义国家推行霸权主义和强权政治，以及用于抢占“道德高地”的思想工具，不可能站在绝大多数人的立场上科学预判人类文明的发展趋势。

Xi Jinping pointed out: “We should promote the common values of all humanity, which are peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, and set a model for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations in the new era.” This is a value orientation formed on the basis of breaking the ideological shackles of state-centrism and national supremacism, addressing the existing crisis of human civilization, and focusing on the common interests of all humanity. At the same time, Xi Jinping emphasized: “Peace and development are our common cause; fairness and justice are our common ideal; democracy and freedom are our common pursuit.” First, peace and development are the common cause. It is necessary to respect the core interests and demands of different nation-states, resolve conflicts and confrontations through consultation and dialogue, resolutely abandon extreme acts of forcibly advancing political agendas through military deterrence, and build an international environment of lasting peace and common development for the progress of human civilization. Second, fairness and justice are the common ideal. It is necessary to break the fetters of hegemonism and power politics, integrate the concept of fairness and justice into areas such as the reshaping of the international landscape, the construction of a new global order, and the allocation of factor resources, so that all nation-states enjoy equal voice in international affairs. Finally, democracy and freedom are the common pursuit. There is no one-size-fits-all model of democracy in the world; democracy is concrete, historical, and dynamically evolving, and cannot be patented or standardized. It is necessary to respect the right of diverse actors to independently choose their development paths and resolutely oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs in the name of democracy. The common values of all humanity are a global public good, broadly outlining a beautiful vision of inclusive coexistence and win-win cooperation among different civilizations, and manifesting the global-minded civilizational sentiment and mission of the Chinese Communists.

习近平指出：“要弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，树立新时代文明交流互鉴的典范。”这是在打破国家本位主义和民族至上主义的思想桎梏、应对现存的人类文明危机、着眼于全人类共同利益的基础上形成的价值引领。同时，习近平强调：“和平与发展是我们的共同事业，公平正义是我们的共同理想，民主自由是我们的共同追求。”首先，和平与发展是共同事业。要尊重不同民族国家的核心利益诉求，以协商对话的方式化解矛盾与冲突，坚决摒弃以武力威慑强行推进政治议程的极端行为，为人类文明进步构筑起持久和平、共同发展的国际环境。其次，公平正义是共同理想。要打破霸权主义和强权政治的桎梏，将公平正义理念贯穿于国际格局的重塑、全球新秩序的建构与要素资源配置等领域，让各民族国家在国际事务中都享有平等的话语权。最后，民主自由是共同追求。世界上不存在放之四海而皆准的民主模式，民主是具体的、历史的、动态发展的，不能将其专利化、标准化。要尊重多元行为体自主选择发展道路的权利，坚决反对以民主之名干涉别国内政。全人类共同价值是全世界的公共产品，在总体上勾勒出不同文明包容共生、合作共赢的美好图景，彰显出中国共产党人胸怀天下的文明情怀与使命担当。

4. Praxeological Narrative: Practicing the “Four Major Global Initiatives” as the Key Path for Human Civilizational Progress

4.实践论叙事：践行“四大全球倡议”是人类文明进步的关键路径

Analyzed from the praxeological level, the proposition “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” transforms value concepts into material forces that change the world, continuously demonstrating its strong vitality in historical development and practical implementation. This strong vitality is mainly reflected in its close integration with the “Four Major Global Initiatives.”

从实践论层面分析，“站在人类文明进步一边”主张将价值理念转化为改变世界的物质力量，并在历史发展与实际践行中不断彰显出强大生命力。这一强大生命力主要体现在其与“四大全球倡议”的紧密结合上。

The Global Security Initiative and the Global Development Initiative start from the two most fundamental demands of humanity—security and development—by building a security community and bridging the development gap, providing important support for human civilizational progress. The Global Security Initiative proposes to establish and practice a “common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept,” resolutely opposes the abuse of unilateral sanctions, “long-arm jurisdiction,” and “building walls and erecting barriers,” and strives to break the logic of zero-sum games, hegemonism, and absolute security upheld by the Western international security concept, reflecting a firm defense of peace, the cornerstone of human civilization. The Global Development Initiative emphasizes adhering to development as a priority, a people-centered approach, inclusive and beneficial development, innovation-driven development, harmony between humanity and nature, and an action-oriented approach. This provides an action framework for addressing the development deficit and building a more fair, equitable, balanced, and inclusive global development landscape. These two initiatives not only provide a stable environment for civilizational development but also inject momentum for civilizational upgrading and iteration, becoming the two pillars supporting civilizational progress.

全球安全倡议与全球发展倡议分别从安全与发展这两个人类最核心的诉求入手，通过构建安全共同体、弥合发展鸿沟，为人类文明进步提供重要支撑。全球安全倡议提出要树立和践行“共同、综合、合作、可持续的安全观”,坚决反对滥用单边制裁、“长臂管辖”“筑墙设垒”,着力破除西方国际安全观奉行的零和博弈、霸权主义、绝对安全的逻辑，体现出对和平这一人类文明基石的坚定捍卫。全球发展倡议强调，要坚持发展优先，坚持以人民为中心，坚持普惠包容，坚持创新驱动，坚持人与自然和谐共生，坚持行动导向。这为破解发展赤字，构建更加公平合理、均衡普惠的全球发展格局提供了行动框架。这两大倡议既为文明发展提供稳定的环境，又为文明迭代升级注入动能，成为支撑文明进步的两大支柱。

The Global Civilization Initiative is a strategic blueprint for the current world civilizational order and another important public good provided by the Chinese Communist Party to the international community. It advocates promoting the transformation of the 21st-century world civilizational pattern from “exclusive civilizations” to “pluralistic and symbiotic civilizations” through means such as building platforms for civilizational exchange and dialogue, establishing multilateral cooperation mechanisms for civilizational exchange, and enhancing the representation and voice of developing countries. The Belt and Road Initiative is a typical example of the Global Civilization Initiative taking root. It breaks through traditional geo-economic cooperation frameworks, encourages people-to-people exchanges and civilizational dialogue among co-building countries, and manifests the value implication of harmonious coexistence among civilizations. The Global Civilization Initiative transforms the civilizational wisdom of harmony and coexistence into global governance solutions, providing important ideological and value support for countries to achieve cultural security and civilizational progress.

全球文明倡议是对当前世界文明秩序的战略性擘画，是中国共产党为国际社会提供的又一重要公共产品。其主张通过搭建文明交流对话平台、建构文明交流多边合作机制、提升发展中国家代表性和发言权等方式，推动21世纪世界文明格局从“排他性文明”向“多元共生文明”转化。“一带一路”倡议就是全球文明倡议落地生根的典型代表。它突破了传统地缘经济合作框架，鼓励共建国家间开展人文交流与文明对话，彰显出文明和谐共生的价值意蕴。全球文明倡议将和合共生的文明智慧转化为全球治理方案，为各国实现文化安全与文明进步提供了重要思想和价值支撑。

The Global Governance Initiative takes extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits as its value criterion, reshapes power relations among governance actors, and aligns the distribution logic of governance outcomes more closely with the principles of civilizational progress. At the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization+” meeting held in 2025, Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative, advocating five major concepts: upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach, and focusing on action orientation, to promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system. This innovation in governance concepts, oriented towards international fairness and justice, breaks the traditional governance pattern where a few developed countries dominate rule-making and resource allocation, allowing different civilizations to participate equally in the creation and sharing of civilizational achievements. It is a vivid practice of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.” It can be said that the Global Governance Initiative is a plan for optimizing the global order and an important lever for guiding human civilization towards a more inclusive, more beneficial, and more sustainable direction, fully demonstrating China’s sense of responsibility in proactively engaging in global affairs.

全球治理倡议以共商共建共享为价值准则，重塑治理主体间的权力关系，使治理成果的分配逻辑更契合文明进步原则。习近平在2025年召开的“上海合作组织+”会议上提出全球治理倡议，主张奉行主权平等，遵守国际法治，践行多边主义，倡导以人为本，注重行动导向五大理念，推动构建更加公正合理的全球治理体系。这种以国际公平正义为导向的治理理念革新，打破了少数发达国家主导规则制定与资源分配的传统治理格局，让不同文明都能平等地参与文明成果创造与共享，是“站在人类文明进步一边”的生动实践。可以说，全球治理倡议是优化全球秩序的方案，也是引领人类文明朝着更包容、更普惠、更可持续方向迈进的重要抓手，充分展现出中国在全球事务中主动作为的责任担当。

The “Four Major Global Initiatives,” oriented towards solving global security and development challenges, resolving civilizational conflicts, and improving the global governance system, transform the pursuit of common values for all humanity into concrete and feasible practical plans. This is a systematic effort to fully implement the discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.”

“四大全球倡议”以解决全球安全发展难题、化解文明冲突、完善全球治理体系为目标导向，将全人类共同价值追求转化为具体可行的实践方案。这正是对“站在人类文明进步一边”话语叙事全面落地的系统性努力。

III. The Epochal Value of the Discourse “Standing on the Side of Human Civilizational Progress”

三、“站在人类文明进步一边”话语的时代价值

To explore the epochal value of the discourse “standing on the side of human civilizational progress,” the key lies not in reiterating the scientificity and rationality of this political discourse itself, but in deeply analyzing how to use the powerful force of discourse narration to explain and disseminate this civilizational stance of the Chinese Communist Party on the world stage, thereby promoting the formation of ideological and value identification among various nation-states and transforming it into concrete practical actions, better promoting the steady and enduring progress of human civilization. While enhancing China’s international discourse power, this also contributes Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to the world. We can systematically elaborate on the epochal value of this discourse, which possesses theoretical penetration, innovation-driven force, and practical impetus, from three dimensions: the epochal innovation of the Marxist theory of world history and the theory of civilizational interaction, the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese civilization, and the practice of global civilizational governance.

探究“站在人类文明进步一边”话语的时代价值，其关键不在于重申这一政治话语本身的科学性和合理性，而是要深入剖析如何借助话语叙事的强大力量，将中国共产党的这一文明立场在世界场域进行阐释和传播，进而推动各民族国家形成思想和价值认同，并将其转化为具体的实践行动，更好地推动人类文明进步事业行稳致远。这在提升中国国际话语权的同时，也为世界贡献中国智慧与中国力量。我们可以从马克思主义世界历史理论与文明交往理论的时代拓新、中华文明创造性转化和创新性发展、全球文明治理实践三个维度，系统阐述这一话语兼具理论穿透力、创新驱动力与实践推动力的时代价值。

1. Opening a New Realm of the Marxist Theory of World History and the Theory of Civilizational Interaction

1.开辟了马克思主义世界历史理论与文明交往理论的新境界

The discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” both inherits the core tenets of the Marxist theory of world history and the theory of civilizational interaction and, based on the era context of the deep development of economic globalization intertwined with the major changes unseen in a century, enriches and develops them by aiming to dismantle the narrative hegemony of Western-centrism and reshape the global civilizational narrative system. This, in general, provides a new theoretical perspective for understanding the laws of contemporary human civilizational development.

“站在人类文明进步一边”话语，既承继了马克思主义世界历史理论与文明交往理论的核心要义，又立足经济全球化纵深发展与百年大变局交织的时代语境，以破解西方中心主义叙事霸权、重塑全球文明叙事体系为导向，对其进行丰富与发展。这在总体上为理解当代人类文明发展规律提供了新的理论视角。

First, it highlights the core guiding role of the theoretical consciousness and value consciousness of civilizational subjects in the evolution of world history. The Marxist theory of world history reveals the objective inevitability of “history becoming world history,” but its emphasis lies in the analysis of historical laws, and it does not systematically construct the significant functions and dynamic evolutionary logic of nation-states as core actors within the grand historical process. The discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” acknowledges that the evolution of world history is filled with various contradictions and challenges, and that no actor can stand aloof, let alone act against the trend. Instead, it must adhere to the value coordinates of human civilizational progress, lead human civilization toward a direction of universal benefit and win-win outcomes with a high degree of historical initiative, and make it truly serve the common well-being of all humanity. This effectively expands the Marxist theory of world history into a political discourse with greater practical guiding significance, providing a practical guide for various civilizational subjects to promote the development and progress of human civilization.

其一，突出文明主体的理论自觉和价值自觉在世界历史演进中的核心引领作用。马克思主义世界历史理论揭示了“历史走向世界历史”的客观必然性，但其侧重点在于对历史规律的剖析，而对于民族国家这一核心行为体在宏大历史进程中的重大功能及动态演化逻辑，并未形成体系化建构。“站在人类文明进步一边”话语承认世界历史演进中充斥着各类矛盾和挑战，任何行为体都不能置身事外，更不能逆势而为，而是要坚守人类文明进步的价值坐标，以高度的历史主动性引领人类文明朝着普惠共赢的方向前进，使之真正服务于全人类共同福祉。这实际上是将马克思主义世界历史理论拓展为更具现实指导意义的政治话语，为各类文明主体推动人类文明发展与进步提供了实践指南。

Second, it advocates a new paradigm of interaction centered on “harmonious coexistence and symbiosis” (和合共生) to transcend old competitive logics such as “zero-sum game” and “clash of civilizations.” The Marxist theory of civilizational interaction reveals that human interaction possesses both progressive and conflictual characteristics. The discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” takes a clear stance, resolutely opposing the definition of relations between different civilizations and countries with different systems as extreme states of “you lose, I win” or “you decline, I rise.” Xi

其二，倡导以“和合共生”为核心的新交往范式超越“零和博弈”“文明冲突”等旧有竞争逻辑。马克思主义文明交往理论揭示了人类交往兼具进步性与冲突性特质。“站在人类文明进步一边”话语立论鲜明，坚决反对将不同文明、不同制度国家之间的关系，界定为“你输我赢”“你兴我衰”的极端状态。习近平指出：“不能身体已进入二十一世纪，而脑袋还停留在过去，停留在殖民扩张的旧时代里，停留在冷战思维、零和博弈的老框框内。”要以平等对话与互学互鉴的方式打破不同文明之间的隔阂和分歧，寻求各国利益的交汇点，凝聚最大共识。这就彰显出，文明交往并非服务于某一特定集团或文明的霸权地位，而是以重塑新型文明交往格局、构建各文明休戚与共的命运共同体为价值导向，助力实现全人类共同发展、安全与繁荣。

This discourse no longer rigidly defines “progress” in terms of GDP, the level of scientific and technological development, a particular social system or development model, but instead takes truly standing on the side of the overall interests of humanity as the yardstick. To a large extent, this breaks the narrative myth of Western-centrism and reconstructs an entirely new rule for the narrative of human civilizational progress. Chinese-path modernization and the civilizational practices of other developing countries are all important components of human civilizational progress. This enables the deep connotations of the pluralistic development of civilizations in the theory of world history to be fully manifested, and also injects new contemporary connotations into the theory of civilizational exchange.

这一话语对于“进步”的定义也不再固守于GDP、科技发展水平、特定社会制度或发展模式等，而是以真正地站在人类整体利益一边为衡量标尺。这在很大程度上破除了西方中心主义叙事神话，重构出人类文明进步叙事的全新法则。中国式现代化及其他发展中国家的文明实践，都是人类文明进步的重要组成部分。这促使世界历史理论中文明多元发展的深层内涵得以充分彰显，也为文明交往理论注入新的时代内涵。

2. Pointing the direction for the development of Chinese civilization

2.为中华文明发展指明方向

Civilizational progress is a historical process that is both continuous and dynamic, and full of tension. This characteristic inherently requires that every form of civilization dare to face its own developmental difficulties squarely, draw on the outstanding achievements of other civilizations with an open and inclusive attitude, so as to realize the self-renewal and development of civilization.

文明进步是一个兼具持续性与动态性、充满张力的历史过程。这一特质内在要求，每一种文明形态都要敢于正视自身的发展困境，以开放包容的姿态汲取其他文明的优秀成果，以实现文明的自我更新与发展。

First, the discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” breaks down the binary oppositional mindset of “ancient/modern” and “Chinese/Western,” providing a value reference for realizing the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese civilization. Xi Jinping pointed out, “Chinese civilization has continued uninterrupted for several thousand years, enduring repeated hardships and remaining long-lasting; this is a miracle of human civilization.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, “At the Symposium on Cultural Heritage,” *Qiushi*, 2023, no. 23. An important reason this miracle has been sustained lies in its always advancing its own development with an open and inclusive attitude. Among these, modern concepts such as fairness, justice, freedom, and democracy serve as the value coordinates of civilizational progress, selecting elements from traditional culture that correspond to them, and endowing traditional culture with new contemporary connotations. This delineates boundaries for the contemporary reconstruction of Chinese civilization, promoting the organic integration of traditional culture and modern civilization. Innovative development injects powerful momentum into the progress of Chinese civilization. Civilizational innovation often occurs in the collision and integration of different civilizations. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” advocates that Chinese civilization actively integrate into the field of global civilizational dialogue, and through exchange and integration with other civilizations, give birth to new ideas, concepts, and development forms, radiating new vitality and dynamism. Overall, this constructs a theoretical paradigm for the development of Chinese civilization that possesses both the correct direction and practical operability.

其一，“站在人类文明进步一边”话语破除了“古今”“中西”二元对立的思维定式，为实现中华文明创造性转化和创新性发展提供了价值参照。习近平指出，“中华文明历经数千年而绵延不绝、迭遭忧患而经久不衰，这是人类文明的奇迹”。这一奇迹得以延续的重要原因在于，它始终以开放包容的姿态推进自身发展。其中，以公平正义、自由民主等现代化理念作为文明进步的价值坐标，筛选传统文化中与之相契合的要素，并赋予传统文化新的时代内涵。这就为中华文明的时代性重构划定边界，推动传统文化与现代文明实现有机衔接。创新性发展则为中华文明进步注入强大动能。文明创新往往发生在不同文明的碰撞交融之中。“站在人类文明进步一边”倡导中华文明主动融入全球文明对话场，通过与其他文明的交流融通，催生新的思想、理念与发展形态，焕发出新的生机与活力。这在总体上为中华文明发展构建起一套兼具正确方向与实践可操作性的理论范式。

Second, the discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” contains, at a deep level, the dialectical unity of subjectivity and mutual learning. Xi Jinping pointed out, “With cultural subjectivity, there is a culturally firm self.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage,” *People’s Daily*, June 3, 2023. The construction and consolidation of this subjectivity cannot be separated from drawing on, transforming, and innovating upon the outstanding achievements of other civilizations. The discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” does not mean abandoning one’s own cultural subjectivity, but rather emphasizes reconstructing subjectivity while integrating into the world. The modernization process of modern China has often been defined as a passive response under the impact of Western civilization. The current proposal of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” is an active choice and construction. This marks that China is no longer limited to the single role of “learner” in the field of global civilizational dialogue, but participates in the definition and reshaping of civilizational progress as an equal and confident subject. China actively draws on and absorbs the outstanding achievements of human civilization in order to enrich and develop itself, promote the sublimation of its own civilization, and dedicate itself to making new and greater contributions to the progress of human civilization.

其二，“站在人类文明进步一边”话语在深层次上内含主体性与互鉴性的辩证统一关系。习近平指出，“有了文化主体性，就有了文化意义上坚定的自我”。而这种主体性的建构与巩固，离不开对其他优秀文明成果的借鉴、转化与创新。“站在人类文明进步一边”话语并非放弃自身文化主体性，而是强调在融入世界中重构主体性。近代中国的现代化历程往往被界定为在西方文明冲击下的被动式回应。如今提出的“站在人类文明进步一边”,则是一种主动的选择和建构。这标志着中国在全球文明对话场域中已不再局限于“学习者”的单一角色，而是以平等自信的主体身份参与到对文明进步的界定与重塑中。中国主动借鉴和吸收人类文明优秀成果，是为了丰富和发展自身，推动自身文明升华，并致力于为人类文明进步作出新的更大贡献。

3. Establishing an action framework for global civilizational governance

3.为全球文明治理确立了行动框架

The discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” breaks through the theoretical limitations of power politics and the clash of civilizations in traditional international relations, fundamentally standardizing the behavioral logic and practical principles of civilizational governance, and providing the “greatest common denominator” for current global civilizational governance.

“站在人类文明进步一边”话语突破了传统国际关系中的权力政治与文明冲突的理论局限，从根本上规范了文明治理的行为逻辑与实践准则，为当前全球文明治理提供了“最大公约数”。

First, it provides solid knowledge support for addressing the challenges of global civilizational governance. Current global issues such as climate change, public health, the digital divide, food and energy security are complexly intertwined, and the difficulty of solving them has already exceeded the cognitive and capability boundaries of any single country or academic discipline. “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” calls on all countries to break down ideological barriers and disciplinary silos under a single civilizational perspective, focus on global issues to carry out cross-border, interdisciplinary joint research, and thereby construct a complete set of new knowledge systems that can integrate the development paradigms and value demands of different civilizations, and that connect domestic and international contexts. This lays a solid knowledge foundation for solving the challenges of global civilizational governance, and also grants the knowledge achievements of different civilizations equal discursive power in the construction of the global knowledge system and the formulation of global civilizational governance plans.

其一，为应对全球文明治理难题提供坚实的知识支撑。当前的气候变化、公共卫生、数字鸿沟、粮食和能源安全等全球性问题复杂交织，解决难度已然超出单一国家或学科的认知与能力边界。“站在人类文明进步一边”呼吁各国打破单一文明视角下的思想隔阂和学科壁垒，聚焦全球性问题开展跨国界、跨学科的联合攻关，进而构建起一整套能整合不同文明发展范式与价值诉求的、融通国内外的新知识体系。这为破解全球文明治理难题奠定了扎实的知识基础，也给予不同文明的知识成果在全球知识体系建构与全球文明治理方案制定中平等的话语权。

Second, it provides action principles for building a more just and reasonable global civilizational governance system. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Advocating a global governance concept based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and practicing true multilateralism, means insisting that international rules be jointly written and jointly upheld by all countries.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” *Qiushi*, 2021, no. 1. This essentially emphasizes that all countries in the world, regardless of size, wealth, or strength, enjoy equal discursive power in international affairs, and the future and destiny of the world must be jointly grasped by all countries. The principle of “extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits” is highly compatible with the value pursuit of promoting the common development of humanity and safeguarding international fairness and justice inherent in “standing on the side of human civilizational progress.” When implemented at the practical level, this means practicing true multilateralism, enabling all countries to jointly participate in the consultation and formulation of international rules based on the principle of sovereign equality, thereby manifesting collective will and common interests. The international community must unite to effectively curb behaviors such as “rule hegemony” and “institutional exclusion” that undermine the global governance system.

其二，为构建更加公正合理的全球文明治理规则提供行动准则。习近平指出：“倡导共商共建共享的全球治理观，践行真正的多边主义，就是要坚持国际规则由各国共同书写、共同维护。”这实际上强调，世界各国不论大小、贫富、强弱，在国际事务中都享有平等的话语权，世界的前途命运要由各国共同掌握。“共商共建共享原则”与“站在人类文明进步一边”蕴含的促进人类共同发展、维护国际公平正义的价值追求高度契合。落实到实践层面，就是要践行真正的多边主义，使各国基于主权平等原则共同参与协商制定国际规则，彰显集体意志与共同利益。国际社会要联合起来，有效遏制“规则霸权”“制度排他”等破坏全球治理体系的行为。

Third, it constructs a global consensus on coordinated development that balances fairness and efficiency, so as to enhance the effectiveness of global civilizational governance. At present, some Western developed countries pursue unilateralism and the law of the jungle, placing their own interests above the common interests of the globe. The vast number of developing countries and regions have still not completely shaken off their dependence on the capital, technology and rules of Western developed countries, and global development remains trapped in a governance predicament where fairness and efficiency are out of balance. The discourse of “standing on the side of human civilizational progress” has become an important anchor for escaping this predicament. On the one hand, it advocates breaking the “center–periphery” development model and calls for coordinating both procedural fairness and outcome fairness in the allocation of global development resources. In particular, it calls for providing assistance in capital, technology, talent and other areas to some less developed countries and regions, helping them overcome development bottlenecks, enhance their capacity for independent development, and fill the gaps in global development. On the other hand, it advocates promoting the coordinated development of all nation-states in key areas such as the digital economy and biotechnology, reducing the friction costs arising from institutional differences, regulatory conflicts, information asymmetry, and the like, and thereby improving the efficiency and quality of development. This is conducive to forging a policy consensus that is more in tune with the trends of global development and to realizing common development and lasting prosperity in the true sense.

其三，为提升全球文明治理效能构建起兼顾公平与效率的全球协同发展共识。当前，一些西方发达国家奉行单边主义和丛林法则，将自身利益凌驾于全球共同利益之上。广大发展中国家和地区仍未彻底摆脱对西方发达国家资本、技术和规则的依附，全球发展仍处于公平与效率失衡的治理困境中。“站在人类文明进步一边”话语成为摆脱这一困境的重要锚点。一方面，其主张打破“中心—外围”发展模式，倡导要统筹好全球发展资源配置的程序公平和结果公平。尤其要为一些欠发达国家和地区提供资金、技术、人才等方面的援助，帮助它们克服发展瓶颈，提升自主发展能力，补齐全球发展短板。另一方面，其主张推动各民族国家在数字经济、生物科技等重点领域协同发展，减少因制度差异、监管冲突、信息不对称等带来的摩擦成本，提升发展的效率与质量。这有利于推动形成更加契合全球发展潮流的政策共识，实现真正意义上的共同发展与持久繁荣。

Xi Jinping points out: “To meet common challenges and move toward a better future, we need not only economic and scientific-technological strength, but also cultural and civilizational strength.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Jointly Shouldering the Responsibility of the Times and Promoting Global Development” (keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021, April 20, 2021). “Standing on the side of human civilizational progress” requires taking one’s stand on the side of historical correctness, on the side of the people’s interests, on the side of the progressive tide, on the side of common development, and on the side of world justice, so as to provide a complete set of practicable action frameworks for addressing the challenges of global civilizational governance in the 21st century and to promote the construction of a new order of civilizational governance characterized by lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, and inclusive development. Therefore, this thesis is an important public good that China provides for global civilizational governance, and it points out the direction of progress for human civilization at a historical crossroads.

习近平指出：“应对共同挑战、迈向美好未来，既需要经济科技力量，也需要文化文明力量。”“站在人类文明进步一边”要求立足历史正确一边、人民利益一边、进步潮流一边、共同发展一边、世界道义一边，为应对21世纪全球文明治理难题提供一整套切实可行的行动框架，推动构建持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、普惠发展的文明治理新秩序。因此，这一论断是中国为全球文明治理提供的重要公共产品，为处在历史十字路口的人类文明指明了进步方向。