In the summer of 2024, I had a unique academic opportunity as a visiting scholar at the China-Arab Center for Reform and Development Studies in Shanghai. This visit was a pivotal moment in my research career, not only because it allowed me to interact directly with a select group of Chinese and Arab researchers and experts, but also because it provided a practical model for building bridges of knowledge between Chinese and Arab civilizations at a global juncture where the need for dialogue, joint thinking, and the formulation of new visions for development, security, and intercultural interaction is growing.
اضافة اعلان
From the very first days of my visit, I realized that the Center operates according to a profound vision aimed at fostering mutual understanding, strengthening reform and development pathways, and building a knowledge base that lays the foundation for a new phase in Arab-Chinese relations. My participation took the form of delivering a series of scholarly lectures that served as a catalyst for interaction and opened up extensive discussions between myself and the professors, students, and researchers.
I delivered several lectures to students at Shanghai International Studies University, including:
Intellectual Security Theory: Between National Necessities and the Responsibilities of Knowledge
The first lecture, on intellectual security theory, served as an important introduction to a contemporary conceptual framework for protecting societies from intellectual threats without compromising freedom of thought and creativity. It emphasized that intellectual security in the Arab world and China faces complex challenges, most notably the rapid pace of digital transformation, the proliferation of information platforms, and the increasing ideological polarization.
During the lecture, we discussed how countries can build balanced systems that safeguard awareness without producing closed or exclusionary discourse, and how universities and research centers can play a key role in fostering critical thinking and designing academic programs that liberate the mind rather than restrict it. This topic attracted the interest of many Chinese researchers who found clear parallels between the challenges facing China and those facing Arab societies in the context of globalization and advanced technology. The second lecture was titled: Arab-Chinese Relations: A Multidimensional Reading
In my second lecture, I addressed Arab-Chinese relations from their political, economic, and cultural perspectives. My aim was to deconstruct the narratives surrounding this relationship, which are often reduced to the economic aspect or the Belt and Road Initiative. In reality, it is a long-standing historical relationship dating back to ancient trade routes, and it is currently witnessing unprecedented development within the framework of China's vision for the developing world and the desire of Arab states to build balanced partnerships, moving beyond the legacy of international hegemony.
I discussed the shift in Chinese diplomacy towards the Middle East, China's role in development issues and infrastructure construction, its support for regional stability, and the rapid growth in cultural and linguistic exchange. This discussion opened a broad avenue for comparing development models, as we exchanged views on the possibility of developing an Arab-Chinese cooperative model based on mutual benefit and respect for individual characteristics, independent of the logic of geopolitical blocs. Education and Mutual Benefit Between the Two Civilizations in Light of the Global Civilization Initiative
The third lecture focused on education and cultural interaction between China and the Arab world, particularly within the context of the "Global Civilization Initiative" proposed by the Chinese President, which emphasizes dialogue, mutual respect, and diverse paths to progress.
I presented a vision for building educational and cultural bridges through:
Expanding academic exchange programs.
Establishing joint research centers in the humanities and artificial intelligence.
Promoting Arabic language education in China and Chinese language education in Arab countries.
Developing joint curricula on the history of civilizations, modes of thought, and development models.
We also discussed the importance of education as a tool for rediscovering the depth of the civilizational ties between the two sides, especially given that both possess a rich human heritage in philosophy, literature, science, and governance.
Regarding the scientific visit to the G60 project and models of Chinese technological innovation:
One of the highlights of the visit was my scientific tour of the G60 Technology Innovation Park, a remarkable model of innovation-driven development, integrating industry with scientific research, and employing artificial intelligence in strategic planning.
I witnessed firsthand how smart cities are managed, how advanced industries are built, and how innovation has become an integral part of China's development identity. This experience sparked a number of questions for me about the possibility of transferring some of these visions to the Arab world, particularly concerning digital transformation, advanced manufacturing, and the development of vocational, technical, and technological education.
The visit also included stops at various sites that represent milestones in the contemporary Chinese vision, whether in urban planning, energy management, or infrastructure development.
The visit also inspired me to write articles: Shanghai and its Great River.
During my stay, I wrote several articles about Shanghai, a unique urban laboratory that blends rapid modernization with the spirit of traditional China. Shanghai, a city that left a profound and beautiful impression on me, with its mighty Yangtze River flowing like a cultural and economic artery, reflects the city's history and transformations, passing through its heart and dividing it in two. I contemplated how its banks have transformed into technological hubs, global financial centers, and cultural districts that reflect China's diversity and openness.
In other articles, I discussed Shanghai's distinguished global centers and research institutions that compete internationally in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, medical sciences, and technology. This writing was an attempt to document a firsthand perspective on a city that never sleeps, and on a future that unfolds before my eyes moment by moment.
In conclusion: Knowledge is a bridge, and experience is a school. This academic visit to the center, along with the lectures and research tours, offered me the opportunity to see China through the eyes of a researcher, not a tourist; a perspective that captures the details of China's transformation and places them within comparative contexts with our Arab reality.
I realized that Arab-Chinese dialogue is not an academic luxury, but a strategic necessity for understanding the world to come. Perhaps the most important takeaway is that Arab and Chinese civilizations possess a wealth of common ground upon which to build a shared future, provided knowledge is effectively organized, exchange is actively pursued, and the circle of intellectual and cultural trust is broadened.
The summer of 2024 was more than just an academic visit; it provided an opportunity to rethink the meaning of civilizational cooperation and the possibility of building a more integrated and balanced shared future based on knowledge, respect, and mutual benefit—values that both civilizations have upheld for millennia. I also welcome any invitation from Chinese universities or specialized research centers to undertake an extended academic visit to learn more about China's ancient civilization and its technological advancements, which have been bolstered by the insightful strategic vision of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who has reshaped the map of China's global influence.
