Building Bridges for High-Quality Exchange: Cross-Cultural Communication in the Era of Globalization

Preface: As the world becomes increasingly multipolar and globalization deepens, nations are forming closer connections, creating a greater need for effec­tive cooperation and dialogue mechanisms to enhance international exchange. The multipolarity and globalization of the world are shifting political, economic, and other structural patterns. Against this backdrop, information exchange and resource sharing play a particularly vital role, with communication between dif­ferent cultural entities becoming more frequent than ever. This presents a clear opportunity, but in our world of diverse coexisting cultures, we face not only lan­guage barriers but also significant differences in cultural backgrounds, thinking patterns, and social norms, as well as economic constraints — these are the chal­lenges we must address in cross-cultural communication. Establishing dialogue using a common language extends beyond mere linguistics to encompass shared values and the understanding, respect, and tolerance of cultural differences, thereby achieving a higher level of consensus. This paper will use education as an example to illustrate fr om multiple perspectives how cross-cultural communi­cation relates to global economic development and enhances international inter­action efficiency.

Cross-cultural communication refers to the cultural phenomenon wh ere peo­ple fr om different cultures connect, interact, learn from, and integrate with each other through specific channels within particular timeframes, continuously evolv­ing in the process. People from different regions and countries acquire different knowledge, beliefs, and moral customs, naturally forming different value systems and standards. This constitutes one of the objective foundations of cross-cultural communication and represents its primary challenge.

Therefore, all solutions must be built on promoting understanding and respect between different cultures. The knowledge, beliefs, and moral concepts we acquire come from cultural traditions and, most directly, through education. Educational philosophies, methods, resources, and environments vary across different cultural backgrounds. In some economically underdeveloped regions, people lack even basic access to education, making participation in cross-cultural communication impossible. Yet cross-cultural communication isn’t merely about knowledge; it also tests soft skills such as psychological resilience, communication abilities, and orga­nizational capabilities — precisely what education in some regions fails to develop.

Beyond rules and cognition, let’s first assume that establishing dialogue using a common language in cross-cultural communication is influenced by educa­tional levels. For instance, the wider availability of higher education provides more high-quality talent for cross-cultural communication. The following section will examine the relationship between education, cross-cultural communication, and economic development through regional data and materials.

According to Eurostat’s data on cultural statistics and cultural participation in 2022, cultural participation rates were higher among individuals with higher levels of education.

In 15 countries, at least two-thirds of people with higher education participated in cultural activities. In Portugal, Poland, Romania, France, Belgium, Hungary, and Ireland, the cultural participation rate of people with higher education was at least 40 percentage points higher than those with middle school education or lower. In 19 EU countries, the rate of cultural activity participation among people with higher education was at least twice that of people with middle school education. Addition­ally, comparing the higher education graduation rates compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2024, the average higher education graduation rate in OECD member countries exceeds 50%. This clearly demonstrates that higher education positively impacts participation in cultural activities.

Without delving into specific types of cultural activities, it’s evident that in such large and important economic entities, cross-cultural activities inevitably occur. Cultural activities drive consumption, and consumption stimulates eco­nomic growth. Survey data shows that in developed countries like the United States, the cultural industry accounted for as much as 7% of economic growth in 2023; in developing countries like China, this figure reached approximately 4.5% in 2023, both representing significant contribution rates. Furthermore, according to data on industrial chain effects, London’s West End theatres drive over £1 bil­lion in surrounding restaurant and hotel consumption annually; China’s Hengdian World Studios attract over 20 million visitors each year, substantially boosting the regional economy. As living standards continue to improve and people pursue higher quality of life, cultural activities have become an essential part of daily life and a significant driver of economic growth in recent years.

The data we’ve referenced comes primarily from developed economies. According to the latest policy documents from UNESCO’s Global Education Mon­itoring Report and the International Institute for Educational Planning released on 20 April 2017, higher education opportunities are expanding fastest in wealth­ier countries. In the poorest countries, an average of 8% of young people receive higher education, compared to 74% in the wealthiest countries. The poorest coun­tries also show the largest gender gaps; in 2014, only 30% of women in low-income countries received undergraduate education.

The BRICS countries, comprising representatives from developing nations across different continents, reflect to some extent the current situation in most developing countries. Among the five BRICS nations, the rate of compulsory education is generally high, with Russia, China, and Brazil approaching 100%, though urban-rural disparities persist, and impoverished areas still face chal­lenges. Regarding higher education, except for Russia and China, the penetra­tion rate is less than 50% in the other countries. These countries face uneven distribution of educational resources due to geographical differences affecting urban development and transportation networks; large populations with grow­ing educational demands while rural and remote areas lag behind; or historical issues causing severe shortages of educational resources. If large segments of the population cannot access even basic compulsory education, higher education becomes unattainable. If this situation persists, the demographic structure of those participating in cultural activities and cross-cultural communication may become imbalanced.

Based on the above, we can conclude that higher education enables people to participate in various cultural activities, and increasing participation drives eco­nomic growth. While the direct impact of cross-cultural communication on the world economy may not be immediately apparent, people with higher education possess higher cognitive levels, stronger motivation, and more time and economic resources to participate in cultural activities. As participation increases and more people engage, exchange and communication naturally flourish.

Therefore, addressing the issues revealed by the data, I propose the following solutions. For rural and remote areas, such as in Brazil, we can establish mobile schools providing basic education and vocational training, and encourage com­munity involvement in educational management. For areas with large urban-rural disparities and underdeveloped infrastructure, such as India, we can implement preferential policies and prioritize funding for educational infrastructure. Increas­ing higher education attainment enhances human capital and innovation capacity, indirectly promoting cultural industries, raising cultural participation and employ­ment rates, thereby fostering social stability and economic structural optimization. As participation and employment rates rise, output increases, which can be rein­vested in higher education, creating a virtuous cycle.

As is widely recognized, English is currently the most widely used language globally. English permeates educational systems across countries, and non-native English speakers need various proficiency tests to access study abroad and employ­ment opportunities. Through higher education, the number of talented individuals with high-level English communication abilities exceeds previous generations and plays an increasingly significant role across society. In this context, “common lan­guage” extends beyond English or other specific languages to broader implications.

Beyond the literal “common language”, non-verbal aspects hold greater importance. In an organization or team wh ere everyone speaks the same language but comes from different countries, varying perspectives on certain issues will inevitably emerge. This involves how people from different cultural backgrounds approach and understand problems. This level of “common language” might be termed “consensus” or “finding common ground”.

In the field of cross-cultural communication, the renowned five-dimen­sional cultural theory interprets various conflicts and integration phenomena in cross-cultural communication through five dimensions: individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, social nature, and long-term orientation. By examining scores for different countries across these five dimensions, signifi­cant variations become apparent. For example, regarding power distance, coun­tries with higher scores include Russia, China, and India, while those with lower scores include Canada, Sweden, and Norway. Conversely, the situation is reversed for individualism. Regarding long-term orientation, countries with higher scores include Japan, China, and Singapore, while those with lower scores include South Africa, UAE, and Brazil.

By comparing these data, we can generally predict how a country might approach organizational or business management and social rules, helping us analyse a country’s or nation’s internal psychology and providing valuable refer­ences for cross-cultural communication with people from different countries. With this reference, we can more easily establish dialogue using a “common language”. Although this theory has certain limitations, it provides relatively comprehen­sive perspectives and dimensions. If we want to achieve a “common language” in non-verbal factors, we inevitably need to engage with it. Only by establishing dialogue with a “common language” at this level and reaching consensus can we promote high-quality dialogue at the language level. Therefore, if we can incorpo­rate knowledge about cross-cultural communication into higher education, or even begin in primary school compulsory education, cultivating cross-cultural aware­ness from childhood and teaching understanding and respect for others’ cultures, we might provide more talent for high-quality cross-cultural communication.

In conclusion, as a young university student still growing and learning, I must connect my destiny with the future development of my country and the world. In our shared world, people come from all directions with different cultural back­grounds. We may have gaps between us, and some aspects may be difficult to understand, but this is precisely the significance of cross-cultural communication. To enhance mutual understanding, exchange is an essential means. “The road is long”, and bridging divides cannot be accomplished overnight, but as long as we take that first step, the distance between us will surely decrease. Thus, in the near future, the world economy will continue to improve through efficient, high-quality cross-cultural communication.