The expansion of the system of higher education in China has led to growing interest in the study of western antiquity. This development opens up new opportunities for Chinese academics. This paper argues that they are now in a good position to embrace and promote the comparative study of ancient civilizations in eastern and western Eurasia. This approach would enable Chinese scholarship to establish a fruitful dialogue with its western counterpart and allow it to make a significant contribution to an area of study that has generally tended to be shaped by more traditional perspectives.