From The People’s Daily Online:
Some analysts attribute the recent blasts in London to a clash between Christian and Islamic civilizations. I don’t think so.
The human history sees indeed conflicts between states, nationalities and regions out of reasons of civilization (such as religion). But from a general perspective of history evolvement, assimilation and mixture form the mainstream of civilization development in different states, nationalities and regions. In my opinion, civilization is not the root cause of conflicts between states, nationalities and regions, and different civilizations can co-exist and intermingle.
In 1922, after a visit to China Bertrand Russell wrote an article entitled Chinese and Western Civilization Contrasted, in which he pointed out that exchanges between different civilizations had long been repeatedly proved milestones in human civilization development. Greece learned from Egypt; Rome drew on the experience of Greece; Arab used the Roman Empire for reference; Europe modeled on Arab in the Middle Ages while copied the Byzantine Empire during the Renaissance.
This comment by Tang Yijie is carried on the first page of People’s Daily Overseas Edition, July 27, and is translated by People’s Daily Online
