BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The pursuit of harmony is a basic value and the fundamental spirit of Chinese culture, State Councilor Liu Yandong told representatives of the 2008 Beijing Forum on Friday.

    More than 300 scholars from more than 40 countries participated in the forum, with the theme "The Harmony of Civilization and Prosperity for All-The Universal Value and the Development Trend of Civilization."

    Liu congratulated the forum, saying its theme was highly significant.

    She said the concept of harmony had become a key criterion in many types of relations: among peoples, between individuals and society, among nationalities and states, among cultures and between humans and nature.

    "It is especially important for academic and educational institutions to promote multinational cultural communication under globalization," said Liu.

    Co-sponsored by Peking University, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education and the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, the Beijing Forum 2008 -- the fifth such annual meeting -- convened on Nov. 7. The forum will focus on the environment, the Olympic spirit and the global financial crisis.