On November 1-3, the 9th China CEEC High level Think Tank Seminar was held in Beijing. Gao Xiang, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Borut Pahor, former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Georgie Ivanov, former President of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Mladen Ivanov, former Serb member of the Bosnia Herzegovina Presidium, and Jiang Yu, Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for China CEEC Cooperation, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.
The meeting was held by Zhu Gaolei, reporter of China Social Science Network
Gao Xiang said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's initiative to jointly build the "Belt and Road". Central and Eastern Europe is an important undertaking zone for the Belt and Road Initiative to connect with the European economic circle. To a large extent, China CEEC cooperation has become a model for jointly building the Belt and Road. Led by the initiative of jointly building the "Belt and Road", China CEEC cooperation has become increasingly rich, becoming an important force to promote the relationship between China and CEEC, and to enhance the efficiency, empowerment, quality and upgrading of China EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
Gao Xiang stressed that cooperation is the main tone of China's policy towards Europe, and win-win is the overall goal of China CEEC cooperation. 2023 is the beginning of the second decade of China CEEC cooperation mechanism. Standing at a new historical starting point, we should have new thinking, new exploration and new plans for the future of China CEEC cooperation. As creators of ideas, producers of knowledge and promoters of policies, think tanks in China and Central and Eastern European countries should give full play to their respective advantages, strengthen dialogue and consultation, carry out cooperative research, constantly promote the optimization and innovation of China CEEC cooperation mechanism, promote the convergence and integration of interests of all parties, deepen exchanges and mutual learning among diverse civilizations, and consolidate the foundation of common destiny and ideas. It is hoped that all guests will brainstorm, fully exchange ideas, actively make suggestions, and contribute more think tanks to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, promoting common development, and benefiting the people of all countries.
Borut Pahor said that after the end of World War II, the international community experienced many turbulence such as the Caribbean Sea crisis. Through dialogue and exchanges, all parties promoted the resolution of the crisis and maintained world peace. At present, the world is experiencing major structural changes again. War and conflict are increasing day by day, and the international political architecture is facing challenges. In the new turbulence, only by strengthening mutual trust and regaining respect for international law and the basic norms of international relations can the evolution of the situation be slowed down and global peace and security be maintained.
Georgie Ivanov said that over the past 10 years, under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations, and more than 3000 cooperation projects have been established. It can be said that the "Belt and Road" initiative is not a "solo" of China alone, but a "symphony" in which countries participate. It is a road of peace and universal security and a road to promote world prosperity, openness, mutual benefit, green development and mutual learning among civilizations. We need to build a new multipolar world, and the "Belt and Road" is part of this new world.
Mladen Ivani ć believes that human society is standing at the crossroads of historical development, and the practice of isolating and isolating countries from each other will not work. The world needs more interaction and cooperation, as should China and Central and Eastern European countries. Jointly building the "Belt and Road" initiative connects China and Central and Eastern European countries. We need to further deepen understanding and enhance consensus. Such understanding and consensus should also be extended to the whole world.
Jiang Yu said that since the launch of China CEEC cooperation 11 years ago, the two sides have respected, supported and achieved each other. Together, they have gone through an extraordinary journey and handed over an outstanding report card. The cooperation has greatly improved the overall level of development of relations between China and Central and Eastern European countries, effectively helped the development of China EU relations, and also provided useful lessons for international cross regional and cross civilization exchanges and cooperation. Facing the second decade of cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, China is willing to work together with Central and Eastern European countries to always give priority to development, adhere to mutual benefit rather than win or lose, adhere to open cooperation rather than "decoupling and chain breaking", and achieve higher quality development in higher level cooperation.
Scholars and think tank representatives from China and Central and Eastern European countries attended the meeting, focusing on the theme of the meeting "Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries in the new situation: status quo and vision", and from the perspective of geopolitical changes, jointly building the "Belt and Road", and promoting practical cooperation, in-depth discussion and analysis of the experience and prospects of bilateral cooperation.
The conference was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, the China Foundation for International Studies, and hosted by the European Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Central and Eastern European Think Tank Exchange and Cooperation Network.
Source: China Social Sciences Network
(Editor in charge: Pi Bo, Huang Jin)
