There has all along been a debate whether there is the so-called "Sun Zi's Art of War Craze" at all. Some believe it is nothing but an insubstantial vision. Vision or reality? Solid figures speak louder. In the past few days, the Seventh International Symposium on Sun Zi's Art of War held in Hangzhou, China, attracted over 300 experts and scholars from 30 countries and regions to attend.

　　In modern times, the economic integration facilitates unprecedented close connections among countries. Under the new historical conditions, the strategic thinking and the resourceful wisdom of the Sun Zi's Art of War epitomized in "breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting it" have been valued immensely by people, and furthermore, has been endowed with new meanings of the modern times and introduced into sectors with the ingrain nature of competitiveness and rivalry such as politics, diplomacy, business, sports and the like.

　　Sun Zi's Art of War advocates wining "without fighting", resorting to military action with discretion and fighting to win, and underscores not engaging the enemy unless being assured of the necessary conditions for victory, complete victory and overwhelming the enemy, which contains the concept of valuing humanities and peace, and in fact is of great immediate guidance to settling disputes, realizing win-win situation for all and seeking for security through negotiation, consultation and cooperation.

　　This mentality is in line with the common interests of the whole mankind and naturally attracts admiration worldwide just as the old Chinese saying goes: Peaches and plums do not have to talk, yet the world beats a path to them. In view of this, it is quite a reasonable choice for the world people to pay attention to, study, research on and apply the Sun Zi's Art of War rather than a hot-headed whim.

　　By Xue Guo'an

　　(June 19, PLA Daily)