The 2^nd New Economy Forum

From November 20^th to 22^nd, 2019, the 2^nd New Economy Forum organized by CCIEE in cooperation with Bloomberg was held in Beijing.  Chinese Vice President Qishan WANG attended and delivered an opening speech. Nearly 500 influential guests from more than 60 countries and regions around the world gathered to discuss countermeasures against the major challenges. Members of Advisory Committee, including Qifan HUANG, Co-Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI, Baige ZHAO, Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI, and Dawei ZHANG, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CCIEE, and Former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Henan Provincial People's Congress, were invited to attend the Forum.

Vice President Qishan WANG delivers an opening speech at the Forum

Qishan WANG said in his speech that innovation is the primary driving force for development. Nowadays, mankind enjoys abilities to create material wealth unprecedented in the history, conduct close exchanges more conveniently, bring unprecedented prosperity in international economy and trade. Integration and mutual learning of different civilizations based on local conditions become the overwhelming trend, and interdependence and harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature become the new concept. At the same time, human beings are also facing many common threats: glaring development imbalance and insufficiency; rise of protectionism, unilateralism and populism; reverse trend of economic globalization; and impacted international order. We should recognize the trend clearly and make scientific and rational decisions from the perspective of the common destiny of all mankind. China will always stay committed to the path of peaceful development. The Chinese people are willing to work with the people of the world in building a community with a shared future for humanity and jointly face global challenges.

Chiping LIU, President of Tencent, and Qing LIU, President of Didi Chuxing, participated in the discussion

The New Economic Forum consisted of 10 important sessions in total, respectively focusing on global economic governance, restructuring of global trading system, digital economic development, regionalization of supply chains, environmental and climate challenges, inclusive development and urbanization, and cutting-edge issues of scientific and technological innovation, to explore solutions to better promoting global sustainable development. Baige ZHAO was invited to deliver important speeches in two panel discussions.

Baige ZHAO in the discussion on the topic of "Aging Society: The Economies of Living to 100"

At the Forum, the discussion on the topic of "Aging Society: The Economies of Living to 100" moderated by Dawei ZHANG received wide attention. Margaret CHAN, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Global of Boao Forum for Asia and Honorary Director-General of World Health Organization, Mike Wells, CEO of Prudential Investment, Loan, and Assurance Company, and Baige ZHAO, Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI, participated in the discussion.

Baige ZHAO said that the Chinese Government has quickly realized and fully understood the challenges and opportunities brought by the aging of population. The Chinese Government has made overall planning and layout in the aspects of human technology and economic resources, and specially formulated relevant policies and programs in line with China's national conditions for the aging of population as shown in China's overall strategic planning from 2020 to 2025. In the current situation where opportunities and challenges coexist, coping with the issue of aging population has become an important strategic action, and new technologies such as AI and robots make great contributions to tackling it. The whole society need to work together to tap the vitality and opportunities brought about by the aging population to social development, and meet the growing demands of the elderly for a better life, promoting the comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development of a society with aging population.

Baige ZHAO in the discussion on the topic of "The Road Ahead: China's Role in Africa's Economic Transformation"

At noon on the 22^nd, on behalf of RDI, Baige ZHAO attended the partner luncheon at the invitation by Dangote Group and participated in a panel discussion on "The Road Ahead: China's Role in Africa's Economic Transformation". Dangote Group is one of the largest industrial groups in Africa, with its business covering many fields such as agriculture, port trade, real estate, electronic information. According to Aliko DANGOTE, President and CEO of Dangote Group, the Internet has become an important engine for the development of the world economy. The African continent must seize the opportunity to speed up the construction of network infrastructure and Internet skills training to further integrate the global Internet economic chain and better meet the wave of industrial revolution and information technology revolution. Ngozi Okonjo IWEALA, Former Managing Director of the World Bank and Former Minister of Finance of Nigeria, said Nigeria is the largest populous country in Africa with a population of over 200 million, and also Africa's largest economy with its priorities on economic and social development and improvement of people's livelihood. The B&R development plan covers almost the entire Africa, including countries with different cultures, political and economic systems, carrying out cooperation in infrastructure, science and technology, communications, finance, energy development and other aspects. With the driving force of  the BRI, China and Africa need to find out and further explore cooperation highlights, and focus more on issues of people's livelihood. Baige ZHAO responded that the Chinese Government's promotion of the BRI is to promote the development of the B&R countries through the mode of "Mutual Benefits and Coordinated Development". African people are old friends of the Chinese people. After the founding of New China, it established diplomatic relations with African countries and they gave a lot of help to China. China has also assisted many African countries in infrastructure construction in the past few decades. In the future, China hopes to find out needs and solve problems with Nigeria through G2G, B2B and T2T and to write a new chapter of joint cooperation and pursue success with African people.

Baige ZHAO interviewed by the Media at the 2^nd New Economic Forum

During the forum, in an interview with domestic media of Global Times, CCTV News, China Business Network, Economic Daily and ChinaNews.com, Baige ZHAO pointed out that the western world need to change their understanding of China urgently and there are four causes should be known to the world for the success of China becoming the world's second largest economy: 1) the Chinese Government and administrative agencies have the ability to implement relevant measures for the country's economic reform and transformation, so as to ensure that China's economic development maintains stable and sound growth; 2) while actively paying attention to the 4^th Industrial Revolution with digitalization and intelligence at its core, China has formed a systematic and integrated industrial development layout; 3) local governments at all levels actively implement policies and plans issued by the central government, for example, Qingdao, Zhuhai, Nanning, Ningbo and Suzhou have closely joined hands with RDI to promote the implementation of the country's top-level designs; and 4) the Chinese Government give full play to the main role of enterprises in promoting economic development to serve the national strategy and form the world pattern, so as to realize the matching between state-owned enterprises and private enterprises. While deepening the reform of state-owned enterprises, China also makes more efforts to explore, cultivate and promote outstanding private enterprises.

The 2^nd New Economic Forum gave another opportunity to RDI to make its voice heard on the international stage in 2019. With the successful conclusion of the Forum, the views of all parties have once again fully confirmed the correctness of RDI's development strategy and direction, and the unremitting efforts and achievements made by RDI since its establishment have been continuously acknowledged. As a representative of the new application-oriented think tanks in China, RDI has always taken it as its mission to promote joint development of domestic and foreign governments, think tanks and enterprises since its establishment. It has attached great importance to the transformation of new scientific and technological achievements at home and abroad and actively done the following work: 1) through research and analysis of global politics, culture, ecology, science and technology, it has given full play to its important functions in providing advice and suggestions to governments and enterprises, guiding public opinion and promoting international exchanges; and 2) by exploring, cultivating and promoting high-tech enterprises, it has given full play to its advantages of platform resources, carried out "Imagination beyond the Boundary of the Brain", broken the boundaries of countries and society and information barriers, realizing a benign cycle of society unimpeded in communication, integration and growth, and contributing to the new globalization and the 4^th Industrial Revolution.

In the future, RDI will remain true to its original aspiration and forge ahead. It will dedicate itself to capacity building, give full play to its resource advantages, uphold the great banner of "Peaceful Development," continue to make its voice heard and contribute its wisdom on international multilateral platforms based on the thinking of "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits".