Archbishop says China is vital to world’s future

-13/10/06

On his first-ever visit to


Archbishop says China is vital to world’s future

-13/10/06

On his first-ever visit to China, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has spoken of the countryís immense potential in working to solve the worldís problems.

Addressing a reception for a Chevening scholars reunion in Nanjing on 10 October 2006, Dr Williams emphasised that China had its place in a future which will require nations to work together more than ever:

He declared: ì[T]here are more and more problems in our world which no one nation can confront alone. So much of our history ñ Europeís ñ has been a history where weíve imagined that because of national sovereignty independence of national economies, we can sort out our own business. And of course the big challenges of our day; challenges such as the environment, the challenges of health and health care and the way in which modern disease spreads, the challenges posed by global communications systems ñ all of these tell us that there are more and more things that we cannot resolve alone.î

Dr Williams had, he said, been expecting to be learning about the China of today on his visit, but it was the potential for the future that was most apparent to him.

He declared: ìChina is emerging as a senior partner in the fellowship of nations; a country whose economy is changing so fast and whose profile in the world has become so recognizable and distinctive that we canít imagine a global future without the Chinese presence. Itís a presence which can do great good; itís a presence which has the capacity to push forward agendas, for instance about development and particularly about sustainable development.î

It would be important for the Chinese voice to be heard, he said, and hoped that the experience of the Chevening scholars would demonstrate that the process worked both ways, adding: ìYours is a society which will have messages to give to the rest of the world but I hope too that itís a society willing to receive and to hear what the rest of the world has to say and that process begins in experiences like yours. It begins in experiences of sharing a cultural distinctiveness in our different settings; it begins in developing that global awareness without which no civilisation is going to last.î

The Chevening Scholarship is a flagship education scheme of the UK Government. Each year over 2000 students from 150 countries are sent to the UK to study, of which more than 150 come from China ñ the largest single national group.

The scholars are chosen on the basis that they will become the opinion-formers and decision-makers of the future.

[Also relating to China: Archbishop of Canterbury to view Christian growth in China first-hand 02/08/06; China officially acknowledges clashes with Christians 04/08/06; Chinese churches face challenges of growth; Support Chinese Christians, British and Irish churches urged; China defends new bishops against Vatican criticism; Hong Kong churches push China on democracy; China and the Vatican relations thaw again; Christian writer calls for universal suffrage in Hong Kong; Vatican attacks state-approved Chinese bishops; Hong Kong churches back democracy call; China urged to give official recognition to Judaism]


Archbishop says China is vital to world’s future

-13/10/06

On his first-ever visit to China, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has spoken of the countryís immense potential in working to solve the worldís problems.

Addressing a reception for a Chevening scholars reunion in Nanjing on 10 October 2006, Dr Williams emphasised that China had its place in a future which will require nations to work together more than ever:

He declared: ì[T]here are more and more problems in our world which no one nation can confront alone. So much of our history ñ Europeís ñ has been a history where weíve imagined that because of national sovereignty independence of national economies, we can sort out our own business. And of course the big challenges of our day; challenges such as the environment, the challenges of health and health care and the way in which modern disease spreads, the challenges posed by global communications systems ñ all of these tell us that there are more and more things that we cannot resolve alone.î

Dr Williams had, he said, been expecting to be learning about the China of today on his visit, but it was the potential for the future that was most apparent to him.

He declared: ìChina is emerging as a senior partner in the fellowship of nations; a country whose economy is changing so fast and whose profile in the world has become so recognizable and distinctive that we canít imagine a global future without the Chinese presence. Itís a presence which can do great good; itís a presence which has the capacity to push forward agendas, for instance about development and particularly about sustainable development.î

It would be important for the Chinese voice to be heard, he said, and hoped that the experience of the Chevening scholars would demonstrate that the process worked both ways, adding: ìYours is a society which will have messages to give to the rest of the world but I hope too that itís a society willing to receive and to hear what the rest of the world has to say and that process begins in experiences like yours. It begins in experiences of sharing a cultural distinctiveness in our different settings; it begins in developing that global awareness without which no civilisation is going to last.î

The Chevening Scholarship is a flagship education scheme of the UK Government. Each year over 2000 students from 150 countries are sent to the UK to study, of which more than 150 come from China ñ the largest single national group.

The scholars are chosen on the basis that they will become the opinion-formers and decision-makers of the future.

[Also relating to China: Archbishop of Canterbury to view Christian growth in China first-hand 02/08/06; China officially acknowledges clashes with Christians 04/08/06; Chinese churches face challenges of growth; Support Chinese Christians, British and Irish churches urged; China defends new bishops against Vatican criticism; Hong Kong churches push China on democracy; China and the Vatican relations thaw again; Christian writer calls for universal suffrage in Hong Kong; Vatican attacks state-approved Chinese bishops; Hong Kong churches back democracy call; China urged to give official recognition to Judaism]