China launched two major international alliances on Greek studies and Plato’s philosophy in the southwestern city of Chongqing on Wednesday, marking a new chapter in cultural and academic exchange with Greece.
The “Global Contemporary Greek Studies Community” and the “Global Platonic Studies Community” were revealed during the Second Global Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations at Southwest University. Both groups sit under the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations, known by its acronym KELKIP, and are expected to draw academics from every region, especially the Global South.
Organizers said the new alliances will serve a dual purpose: examining how classical ideas can illuminate today’s challenges and allowing scholars to revisit antiquity through modern lenses.
An area studies institute and a classical studies institute were also established under KELKIP during the forum’s opening ceremony.
“Another similarity that runs through all Greek thought and is present in the thinking of Confucius is dialogue,” Greece’s ambassador to China, Evgenios Kalpyris, told the opening session. He argued that wisdom preserved over millennia remains a steady guide as the world confronts social and ecological crises.
Cui Yanqiang, the Chinese director of KELKIP, said the expanded structure cements the center’s mission, and the goal is to connect the classical with the contemporary.
Chloe Balla, chair of the Greek KELKIP steering committee, commended the way Chinese philosophy permeates everyday life.
Establishment of the ‘Global Network for the study of Modern Greece’ is a great step forward for the development of new perspectives in Greek Studies. It was a great pleasure to be part of this historic event at South West University, Chongqing, China. pic.twitter.com/LOaLNCYuDR
— Dr. Anil Kumar Singh (@anilaksin) June 25, 2025
“I’m also fascinated by the way that the ancient Chinese philosophy has managed not to be confined in the academic world, but it’s part of Chinese society,” she said. “So, for Chinese people, Confucius is something that they can refer to.”
Forum organizers stated the new platforms will encourage scholars—especially from the Global South—to revisit classical texts and apply ancient insights to modern issues. The event theme, “Ancient Wisdom for the Global South,” highlights that goal.
More than 60 scholars from over 20 countries are participating in three parallel sessions: re-reading Plato from a Global South perspective, exploring contemporary Greece in a global context, and examining China-Europe relations through cultural heritage.
Cui told the forum that concepts such as Aristotle’s “practical wisdom” and the dialectical thinking of the I Ching may offer fresh approaches to challenges like climate governance and development policy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry official Tang Heng hailed the center’s creation as a “landmark achievement” in bilateral relations and global cultural exchange, saying ancient wisdom can help the Global South pursue peaceful development.
