Source: International Department Central Committee of PRC       Published: 2020-12-16

On December 14th, 2020, under the guidance of Silk Road Think Tank Association(SRTA), “China’s New Development Paradigm and High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation” International Webinar was held in Beijing, co-organized by Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China (RDCY) and China Center for Contemporary World Studies, International Department of CPC Central Committee (IDCPC). More than 30 former foreign dignitaries, well-known experts and scholars discussed together for the prosperity and development of the world and the bright future of mankind.

Song Tao, Minister of IDCPC, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, President of the Asia Society Policy Institute; Zlatko Lagumdzija, former Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Essam Sharaf, former Prime Minister of Egypt; Mizengo Pinda, former Prime Minister of Tanzania; Bhokin Bhalakula, former President of Congress of Thailand; Ong Tee Keat, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and former Transport Minister of Malaysia, attended the conference and made keynote speeches. The opening ceremony was moderated by Guo Yezhou, Vice Minister of International Department of CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), Co-Chairman of SRTA Council.

Song Tao, Minister of IDCPC, said that the Fifth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Party recently held successfully, and made important strategic arrangements to accelerate the construction of a domestic circulation as the main body and the new development pattern in which both domestic and international dual circulation promote each other. It will be strong impetus for world economic recovery and prosperity, in order to promote economic globalization opens up new state, to promote the construction of a community of a shared future for mankind. High-quality “Belt and Road” is an important part of the construction of a new development pattern. Hope that all parties will dig deeper into the new development pattern and provide the kinetic energy for high-quality “Belt and Road”, promote the strengthening inter-operability development strategy and planning, efforts to defuse the epidemic outbreak hit, cultivating new developing focus, promote international cooperation and reform of global governance, condensed a new consensus on construction of a community of a shared future for mankind, make the "Belt and Road" a path of cooperation, health, recovery and growth.

Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, President of the Asia Society Policy Institute, believed that green BRI is a sustainable development, and green BRI also reflects China's economic civilization and world leadership. He hoped that the BRI would be inclusive. Green, low-carbon, high-quality and sustainable development would be the future direction of BRI.

Zlatko Lagumdzija, former Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Council Member of SRTA International Advisory Board, said that the 14th Five-Year Plan clearly states that China will continue to open up, create a new era of win-win cooperation, and open a dual circulation in domestic and international. The BRI is therefore given a more important role, especially in conjunction with the goal of innovation-driven industrial development. The BRI will also provide an important driving force and platform for countries in education, research and innovation.

Essam Sharaf, former Prime Minister of Egypt, Council Member of SRTA International Advisory Board, pointed out that BRI can promote the development of high-quality cooperation mechanism, promote the inter-connectivity between countries, strengthen cooperation and promote the development of the corresponding platform. If we work together, we can take the next stage to achieve high-quality integration through the main tool of BRI.

Mizengo Pinda, former Prime Minister of Tanzania, Council Member of SRTA International Advisory Board, remarked that the world is so interconnected that cooperation and solidarity are necessary. International cooperation is the only way. There is a bright future for China-Africa cooperation, because the vision of Africa and BRI are closely linked, at the same time, the development of related planning has enough flexibility, which can deal with new opportunities and challenges. Therefore, it is a very clear plan, helping China-African towards the future.

Bhokin Bhalakula, former President of Congress of Thailand, Council Member of SRTA International Advisory Board, said China was the only major economy in the world that could achieve positive economic growth this year and the global economy would contract further without its contribution. China's new development pattern and high quality BRI, bringing new hope to the world economic development and the well-being of all mankind. The new development pattern has made China's economic development more resilient, and the promotion of scientific and technological innovation will further accelerate China's economic growth.

Ong Tee Keat, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and former Transport Minister of Malaysia, pointed out that dual circulation economic development pattern that China has newly launched domestically and internationally is ready to reshape its international competitiveness and achieve balanced and coordinated development international and domestic the economy. We will work with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to build China-ASEAN information port, promote digital connectivity, and build a digital Silk Road. This has clearly defined the new direction of advancing BRI in the post-epidemic era.

In addition, the seminar also set up two panel discussion with the topic of "China’s New Development Paradigm and New Opportunities of Win-Win Global Cooperation" and "Promoting High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation and Building an Open Global Economy".

In the Panel I of “China’s New Development Paradigm and New Opportunities of Win-Win Global Cooperation”, Li Xiangyang, President of National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Yury Tavrovsky, Head of the “Russian Dream and Chinese Dream” Research Center of the Izborsk Club, Moscow, Russia; Astrid Skala-Kuhmann, Former China Country Director of GIZ, Co-Dean of Sino-German Young Professional Campus, Co-Chair of T20 Taskforce, Germany; Yang Faxi, Director of International Department of the journal “Qiushi”; Maringio Francesco, President of Italy Association for the Promotion of New Silk Road; Sha Yongzhong, Vice President of Lanzhou University, Director of Research Center for the Belt and Road, Lanzhou University, Milos Balaban, Chairman of Prague Security Conference, Czech Republic; Bolat Ussenov, Scholar at China Studies Center, Kazakhstan; He Weiwen, former Commercial Councilor at China’s Consulate Generals in San Francisco and New York, Senior follow of RDCY; Natee Taweesrifuengfung, President of Siam Intelligence Unit, Thailand; Rita Pawestri Setyaningsih, Researcher at Research Center for Area Studies - Indonesian Institute of Sciences (P2W-LIPI), attended the seminar and had a in-depth discussion.

Those experts spoke highly that the 14th Five-Year Plan adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Party and the proposal of long-term goals for 2035. They believed that China's new development pattern will not only inject important impetus into China's new journey, but also provide new opportunities for the international community to realize economic recovery and development after the epidemic. This session was moderated by Wang Wen, Executive Dean of RDCY. He said the BRI will be continued, it has been written into the Party Constitution of the Communist Party of China. Therefore, how to do better is the core of the current task, we need to be confident and patient with the high-quality development of the Belt and Road.

In the Panel II of “Promoting High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation and Building an Open Global Economy”, Liao Qun, Chief Economist of China CITIC Bank International; John Ross, former Director of Economic and Business Policy for the Mayor of London and Senior fellow of RDCY; Peter Koenig, former Senior Economist at World Bank; Zhu Cuiping, Director of Research Center of Indian Ocean Region, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics; Tzili Eduardo, Professor of the Department of Politics and Culture of Metropolitan Autonomous University; Gani Yoroms, Professor of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA); Tu Yonghong, Deputy Director of International Monetary Institute, Renmin University of China; Zamir Awan, Deputy Director of Center for China Studies, National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan; Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies of Armenia; Zhao Xijun, Co-president of Capital Market Research Institute, Renmin University of China; Anne Mungai, Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive of Africa Policy Institute, Kenya; U Khin Maung Soe, Advisor to the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, attended the seminar.

Above experts agreed that the world is facing a series of severe challenges, all parties shall uphold multilateralism, stick to the fairness and justice, promote to build green, clean, health, innovative BRI, jointly promote the world economy and global governance towards a more just and reasonable, mutually beneficial and win-win development, promote the common well-being of mankind. This session was moderated by Wang Liyong, Deputy Director of China Center for Contemporary World Studies, International Department of CPC Central Committee (IDCPC). He said that hope through the BRI cooperation, the international community will further enhance the openness, inclusiveness, sharing, equity and sustainability of global development, and provide impetus and support for the reform and development of global governance and the building of a new type of international relations and a community of a shared future for mankind.

This international video conference and relevant activities provide effective intellectual support for deepening official and academic cooperation, building a new diplomatic model of think tanks, and jointly helping China's new development pattern and BRI high-quality development.

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