On the eve of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party, as Renmin University of China (RUC) will celebrate its 80th anniversary, “International Symposium on Construction of the Belt and Road & Global Governance” kicks off in RUC on September 30th.

The Symposium is jointly hosted by the Belt and Road Think Tank Association (SRTA) and RUC, and co-organized by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY), the Global Governance Research Center at Renmin University of China (GGRC) and the China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS) at the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC).

This symposium attracts more than 300 attendees from nearly 20 countries, including Danilo Türk, Former President of Slovenia, Essam Sharaf, Former Prime Minister of Egypt, Djoomart Otorbaev, Former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan,and other senior politicians and scholars, with the aim of providing suggestions and recommendations on China’s sustainable development.

The symposium opens with the speech of Liu Yuanchun, Vice President of RUC and Co-Chairman of Global Governance Research Center, “We hope that all the attendees will speak out freely so as to contribute wisdom to the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party”.

Liu Wei, President of RUC, made the opening remarks. He said that the new situation of globalization is profound and complex in today`s world, and the common problems and challenges faced by human society are increasing, so we need a more suitable global governance system than ever before.

Facing the new situation，China has actively assumed international responsibility, took the initiative to participate in global governance, constantly put forward new ideas, and striven to contribute more Chinese wisdom to reshaping the global governance system,liu said. He hope the gathering could promote the spirit of ancient Silk Road and upgrade global governance.

Guo Yezhou, Vice Minister of International Department of the CPC Central Committee and  Chairman of SRTA addressed the opening ceremony. He noted that the  global governance still facing many challenges needed to be dealt with, for example, how to take the initiative to adapt to the everlasting changes of global economic order? How to make economic globalization more dynamic, more inclusive and sustainable? How to promote governance model and governance concepts innovate continually? How to strengthen the governance of the deep sea, polar, space, network and other new areas?

“As the carrier of providing advice to government and pushing forward people-to-people exchanges, think tank is faced with important development opportunities in the process of Belt and Road construction and global governance reform and innovation,” Guo added.

After the opening remarks, an appointment ceremony was held at the symposium. Essam Sharaf and Djoomart Otorbaev were appointed as the senior foreign researchers of RDCY. Since then, RDCY has appointed 3 former international dignitaries as senior fellows (Danilo Türk has renewed his appointment as RDCY’s senior fellow previously), and the total number of RDCY’s foreign researchers has increased to 43.

Then Jin Xin, Dean of CCCWS and Secretary General of the SRTA, presides over the session of keynote speeches. Danilo Türk, Essam Sharaf, Djoomart Otorbaev, and Ou Xiaoli, Inspector of the Department of Western Region Development at National Development and Reform Commission, made speeches respectively.

Danilo Türk

Essam Sharaf

Djoomart Otorbaev

Ou Xiaoli

Zhuang Yumin

He Yafei

Drawing on RDCY’s four years of solid achievements in global governance studies, this symposium released a series of research reports and launched an important global project. The session of results release was presided over by Zhuang Yumin, Dean of School of Finance of RUC. He Yafei, Former Vice Foreign Minister of China and also Director of GGRC, released the series of results including his latest book “A World in Turbulence--China`s Opportunity and Challenge in the New Era of Globalization”,“Reglobalization: Global Governance within the Concept of Common Consultation, Common Construction and Shared Benefits” - 2017 Annual Report on China and Global Governance, and Interpretation of “Building the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and China’s Contribution”.

After results release session, Wang Wen, Executive Dean of RDCY and Executive Director of GGRC, announced that with careful evaluation and great support, RDCY launches an important global project -“Belt and Road Global Elite Training Program” from today on, aiming to cultivate 800 to 1000 elites from all of the world in the next three to five years. Through various ways such as giving lectures, participating field surveys and delivering short, medium and long-term training, this program will help these elites understand “Belt and Road” and the development of China more clearly.  

Then a plenary session on the theme of “Development of Belt and Road Initiative & Global Governance ” was held at the opening ceremony. Danilo Türk, Essam Sharaf, Djoomart Otorbaev, He Yafei, Zhang Yanling, Former Executive Vice President of Bank of China and Academic Director of GGRC, and Cao Wenlian, Director General of the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, had an in-depth discussion on this topic, and responded to the questions from the audience.

Following the plenary session, three Parallel Panels were held at the afternoon session. The attendees had in-depth discussion on the following 3 topics:  “Opportunities and Challenges of Global Governance in the New Situation”, “Belt and Road, New Innovative Path of Global Governance”, and “Relationship between Belt and Road Initiative and Current Existing Global Governance Mechanism”.

Agenda: International Symposium on Developing the Belt and Road Initiative & Global Governance