However, China will not be able to reach its goal of a harmonious society if an
international peaceful environment is not also achieved. Liu (2006) asserts that
Chinese leaders completely understand that a confrontational foreign policy would
disrupt China’s growth and even threaten the Chinese Communist Party’s position in
power. Thus, China’s deep reform with an objective of building a harmonious society
and external peaceful environment are interrelated and mutually supportive.
Moreover, President Hu Jintao (2011) has placed further emphasis on building ‘a
harmonious Asia’ and a harmonious world. The Chinese government further proposes
to encourage cultural exchanges in order to ‘do away with ideological prejudice and
distrust and make human society more harmonious’ (Chinese Information Office of
State Council 2011). Therefore, it is clear that the policy is grounded in a notion that
cultural exchange can eliminate distrust, and that culture can make the world more
harmonious.