TAIZHOU, China, 29 October 2026 — More than 220 participants from 23 countries gathered in Taizhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, for the 2026 Hehe Culture Forum, a meeting devoted to cultural exchange, global governance and international cooperation — and to an old local philosophy that its organisers say speaks directly to today's divided world.
Illustration: An international cultural forum in a modern conference hall in Taizhou.
What Happened
The forum was held on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, according to a report from China.org.cn carried by PR Newswire on 29 October. It brought together participants from 23 countries to discuss how cultural exchange can support global governance and international cooperation.
Hehe Culture, the philosophy at the heart of the event, originated in Taizhou. It is a traditional Chinese philosophy centred on harmony, inclusiveness and unity without uniformity — the idea that different cultures, societies and ways of life can coexist and learn from one another without becoming identical.
Opening remarks were delivered by Chang Bo, president of China International Communications Group (CICG); Zhang Xuewei, vice chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; and Wang Jian, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Taizhou Municipal Committee.
In his speech, Chang said the principles of Hehe Culture — cooperation, peaceful coexistence, mutual learning and respect for differences — help drive global development, safeguard international security, foster dialogue among civilisations and address global challenges. He said the forum has grown into an international platform for cultural exchange over the past five years, and that CICG will continue working with domestic and international partners to promote dialogue among civilisations and shared progress.
Zhang said Hehe Culture emphasises solidarity and harmonious coexistence, with humanity working together toward a community with a shared future. He said Zhejiang would strengthen research into Hehe Culture, advance the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture, and expand international cultural exchange. He also called for deeper mutual learning among civilisations and practical cooperation to share development opportunities and build a better future.
Wang described Hehe Culture as a time-honoured Chinese tradition that promotes harmony among nations, unity in pursuit of national rejuvenation, and development through the integration of tradition and modernity. In Taizhou, he said, the concept is being applied to economic development, ecological protection, public governance, people's livelihoods and international exchange — and the city stands ready to expand research into Hehe Culture and strengthen its international outreach, so that traditional Chinese culture becomes more relevant to contemporary society.
Background
The forum has become a platform for showcasing Chinese civilisation and encouraging civilisational dialogue since its launch in 2021, according to Yu Hanyin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and head of the Information Office of the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, who presided over the opening ceremony. Yu said Hehe Culture's emphasis on harmony without uniformity and peaceful coexistence among nations aligns closely with the Global Civilization Initiative.
Li Yafang, deputy editor-in-chief of CICG and president of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS), presided over the keynote speech session. She said Hehe Culture offers enduring impetus for dialogue and consensus-building across civilisations, and that the forum examines how traditional Chinese ideas of harmony and respect for differences can inform contemporary global governance and international exchange.
Illustration: Traditional Chinese culture meeting modern city life in Zhejiang.
The 2026 edition also looked beyond speeches. The forum featured the presentation of research findings on "Hehe Culture and Symbols of Chinese Civilization," a global call for entries for a digital art competition on Hehe Culture, and the release of the 2025 global Hehe Culture practice cases. Other activities included the signing of an agreement for a technology and industry fund for Hehe Culture, presentations of international communication initiatives, and awards recognising outstanding overseas Hehe Culture stations. Hehe Culture ambassadors also sent messages to the forum.
Four parallel sessions focused on the contemporary value of Hehe, business ethics and regional cooperation, the contemporary development of traditional culture and mutual learning among civilisations, and youth contributions to global sustainable development.
The forum was jointly organised by ACCWS under CICG and the Taizhou Municipal People's Government.
Why It Matters
Cultural forums rarely make headlines in the way summits on trade or security do, but they matter for a different reason: they shape the language and relationships through which harder negotiations happen. When officials, scholars and cultural practitioners from 23 countries spend time discussing a shared vocabulary — harmony, mutual learning, respect for difference — they build channels that can outlast any single disagreement.
Taizhou's choice to centre that conversation on a local philosophy is also significant. Rather than importing a generic theme, the city has put its own heritage at the centre of an international event, and then connected it to practical questions: business ethics, regional cooperation, youth and sustainable development. That blend of tradition and practical policy is exactly what Wang pointed to when he described Hehe Culture being applied to economic development, ecological protection and public governance at home.
For the wider world, the forum is a reminder that cultural diplomacy is not only about exhibitions and performances. It includes research, funding agreements, digital art competitions and awards for overseas cultural stations — the infrastructure that keeps dialogue going between headline events.
There is also a generational dimension. One of the four parallel sessions was devoted to youth contributions to global sustainable development, and the digital art competition invites a new generation to interpret an old philosophy in new media. If Hehe Culture is to remain relevant, as Taizhou's leaders said they intend, it will be young artists, students and entrepreneurs who carry it forward.
What Happens Next
The immediate outputs of the forum — the research findings, the 2025 practice cases and the digital art competition entries — will now circulate beyond Taizhou, through CICG's international partners and the overseas Hehe Culture stations recognised at the event. The technology and industry fund agreement signed at the forum will be watched for its first funded projects.
Whether the forum's ideas influence broader debates on global governance will depend on what happens next in those parallel tracks: business ethics and regional cooperation, traditional culture in contemporary life, and youth-led sustainable development. The organisers have framed the forum as a continuing platform rather than a one-off event, with its fifth-year growth cited as evidence of momentum since 2021.
For Taizhou itself, the next step is the research and outreach expansion its leaders promised: deeper study of Hehe Culture and a stronger international presence for a philosophy born in the city.
Illustration: Young people from different countries creating digital art together.
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FAQ
What is the Hehe Culture Forum?
It is an international forum held in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, China, devoted to cultural exchange, global governance and international cooperation, centred on Hehe Culture — a traditional Chinese philosophy emphasising harmony, inclusiveness and unity without uniformity.
When and where was the 2026 forum held?
It was held on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, in Taizhou, eastern China's Zhejiang province, and reported on 29 October 2026.
How many people took part?
More than 220 participants from 23 countries took part, according to the China.org.cn report carried by PR Newswire.
What is Hehe Culture?
Hehe Culture is a traditional Chinese philosophy originating in Taizhou, centred on harmony, inclusiveness and unity without uniformity — the idea that different cultures can coexist and learn from one another without becoming the same.
Who organised the forum?
The forum was jointly organised by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) under China International Communications Group (CICG) and the Taizhou Municipal People's Government. It has run since 2021.
Sources
China.org.cn via PR Newswire, "Hehe Culture Forum brings global dialogue to Taizhou, Zhejiang," 29 October 2026. Morningstar republication of the same PR Newswire report, 29 October 2026.
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