On November 29, 2011, Sr. Col. Dr. Wang Xinjun, from the War Theory and Strategy Studies Department, AMS, PLA in Beijing, held a presentation on his two-month research project at the ISDP, "China's Culture and its Peaceful Development Strategy".

The presentation consisted of four parts. In the first section, Dr. Wang explained the relationship between Chinese culture and its development strategy with the two inseparable concepts, "substance" and "function". That is to say, the quintessence of Chinese culture and how we choose to rule a nation have the same substance. "Function" combines this substance with the reality.

The second part dealt with the main characteristics of China's history and culture. Firstly, Chinese culture has not suffered from any major interruptions during its 5,000 years of recorded history, meaning that the value of the people, the way of thinking and life philosophy has remained very much the same. Secondly, the culture is featured by an impressive unity of a large population, despite the many ethnic groups. Thirdly, peace is highly valued in the Chinese culture. Since 5,000 years, the PRC has hardly ever invaded other countries, although many domestic wars related to separatism and unification have taken place.

In the third section, Dr. Wang moves on to talk about the quintessence of his culture, i.e. the Confucian philosophy, how it took shape and how Legalism and Buddhism later, in the second century, were imported into the society. These three schools of thought have mainly influenced the development process.

In the last part, Dr. Wang speaks on contemporary Chinese thinking and strategy on development, which combines Western advanced technology with their own culture, tradition and spirit of peace. The approach of the Chinese government consists of six principles that represent core values of Confucianism: scientific development, self-development, opening-up, peace, cooperation and common development. The people of China seek peaceful coexistence and development toward a win-win situation and for mutual benefit.