With the establishment and development of the "17+1 Cooperation" inter-region and city cooperation platform, the relations between China and CEEC have entered the best period in history with the continuously expanded cooperation scope, and more expectations on this cooperation mechanism. To comprehensively promote the cooperative relations between China and CEEC, continuously enriching the content of cooperation between China and CEEC will become an priority for China to further expand the benefits of international cooperation in the future.
Delegates to the 6th High-Level Think Tanks Symposium of China and Central & Eastern European Countries
On September 4th, 2019, the RDI delegation was invited to attend the Sixth High-level Think Tanks Symposium of China and Central & Eastern European Countries held in Bled, Slovenia. Baige ZHAO, Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI delivered an opening speech. Yuzhen HUO, Special Delegate for Cooperation between China and Central & Eastern European Countries, Jian XU, Vice President of China Foundation for International Studies, Ping HUANG, Director of Institute of European Studies of CASS, Jernej PIKALO, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Science and Sports of Slovenia, Dobran BOŽIČ, State Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Republic of Slovenia, Danilo TÜRK, Former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Danica PURG, President of IEDC-Bled School of Management, and Iztok GRMEK, Acting Director-General of Directorate for Economic and Public and Public Diplomacy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, attended the Symposium and delivered keynote speeches. More than 100 dignitaries, officials and scholars from China, Slovenia and other CEEC attended the Symposium.
Baige ZHAO delivered an opening speech at the Symposium
In the opening speech, Baige ZHAO shared three viewpoints on the "17+1 Cooperation": first, remarkable achievements have been made in the cooperation between think tanks of China and CEEC. In the Suzhou Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries issued at the 4th Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries held in 2015, it is clearly stated: "Welcome CASS to lead the establishment of the China-CEEC '16+1' Think-Tank Communication and Cooperation Network". In 2019, Greece joined as a full-fledged participant of China-CEEC cooperation, and "16+1" was upgraded to "17+1".
In four years since the establishment and upgrade, the 17+1 Think Tank Network, by adhering to the principle of "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits", has extensively contacted and coordinated the think tanks of China and CEEC, promoted "17+1 cooperative research", actively hosted events and coordinated high-level visits, published a large number of books and held many training programs for think tanks in Central and Eastern Europe, established a professional platform for think tank communication and cooperation, thus playing an active and leading role, exerting a wide range of influence at home and abroad, and contributing to "17+1 Cooperation" significantly.
Second, "17+1 Cooperation" has become an integral part and beneficial supplement for China-Europe relations. China has always firmly supported European integration and the development of a united, strong and more cohesive Europe, which is of great significance to the peaceful development of Europe and the multi-polarization of the world. As emerging economies in Europe, Central and Eastern European countries are developing rapidly and promising, and China is willing to actively promote "17+1 Cooperation" to push forward balanced and sustainable development in Europe, benefit the people from CEEC, share development opportunities with CEEC, and contribute to the overall development of China-Europe relations.
Third, "17+1 Cooperation" has become an important platform and means for promoting China-Europe cooperation under the BRI. "17+1 Cooperation" actively promotes the implementation of the BRI in Europe, and produces a series of pragmatic cooperation results in various fields such as policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds. Both "17+1 Cooperation" and the BRI adhere to the principle of "Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits", and adhere to expanding connectivity and achieving win-win cooperation.
Jernej PIKALO said that the Sixth High-level Think Tanks Symposium of China and Central & Eastern European Countries is of positive significance for promoting Slovenia-China relations and "17+1 Cooperation". Slovenia and China have made good achievements in people-to-people and cultural exchanges, especially in the areas of education, language, sports, etc. The two countries would expand more fields of cooperation in the future.
Dobran BOŽIČ said that in recent years, exchanges and cooperation between Slovenia and China in various fields have become increasingly close. In terms of "17+1 Cooperation", he put forward three suggestions: 1) we must abide by the regulations of EU to promote the development of China-EU relations; 2) we must adhere to innovation and sustainable development to raise the level of academic and think tank exchanges, especially the exchanges and cooperation in electronic technology, small- and medium-sized enterprises, new energy, forestry, sports and medical care; and 3) we must cherish the spirit and concept of win-win cooperation.
Danilo TÜRK believed that the "17+1 Cooperation" is a real practice of multilateralism. The focus of attention for new cooperation should be located at the time when multilateralism is challenged. He stressed the three points: 1) cooperation needs in the current stage and in the future should be found and classified; 2) focus should be put on cultural sensitivity and respect to different cultures; 3) compatibility and connectivity of laws should be highly valued. In addition, attention should also be paid to the "17+1 Cooperation" on how to contribute to environmental protection and emission reduction in the global situation of great changes.
Guests attending the 6th High-level Think Tanks Symposium of China and Central & Eastern European Countries
Zuokui LIU, Ping HUANG, Iztok GRMEK, Yuzhen HUO, Shunqing WANG, Baige ZHAO, and Jian XU (from left to right)
Yuzhen HUO expressed that the "17+1 Cooperation" has become the most dynamic and representative inter-region cooperation mechanism and achieved fruitful results. In the current increasingly complicated international situation, the "17+1 Cooperation" should strengthen the following aspects: 1）firmly grasping the general trend of development to promote the high-quality development of "17+1 Cooperation"; 2) deepening tripartite and multi-party cooperation to promote the development of China-EU relations; 3) consolidating the basis of public opinion to provide strong support for further development. Wherein the China-CEEC Cooperation Think Tank Network and the "17+1 Cooperation" Global Partnership Center could play different positive roles in those aspects.
Jian XU pointed out that the "17+1 Cooperation" has achieved fruitful results in the past seven years, but there is room for improvement. For example, interaction mechanism should be improved and priority should be given to deficit of country cooperation. It was necessary to eliminate external interference and dispel some doubts through cooperative achievements and strengthen multi-way cooperation to oppose protectionism and unilateralism through learning from each other's strong points while overcoming the weak ones.
Ping HUANG expressed that the "17+1 Cooperation" has become a classic case and a brand-new practice of multilateralism. China's new generation of leaders has raised China-EU relations to a new level and the two sides are committed to building a partnership of peace, growth, reform and civilization. The "17+1 Cooperation" is an integral part of China-EU relations, and Central and Eastern Europe is also a region covered by the BRI. He said that the more anti-globalization and protectionism prevail, the more cooperation should be enhanced; the more challenges exist, the more we must adhere to the principle of "Openness, Multilateralism, Mutual Benefits and Win-win Cooperation".
Guests attending the 6th High-level Think Tanks Symposium of China and Central & Eastern European Countries Iztok GRMEK, Baige ZHAO, Danica PURG, Danilo TÜRK, and Ping HUANG (from left to right)
Guests attending the 6th High-level Think Tanks Symposium of China and Central & Eastern European Countries: Dobran BOŽIČ, Baige ZHAO, Danica PURG, and Iztok GRMEK (from left to right)
From the investigation and research in Greece to the 6th High-level Think Tanks Symposium of Central & Eastern European Countries held in Slovenia, RDI further expands its friends' circle of the international network and becomes a bridge and link for exchanges and cooperation between small- and medium-sized enterprises of China and CEEC. It means that RDI should assume new responsibilities and new missions at a new starting point. Deepening economic, trade and financial cooperation to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results is the future trend of cooperation between small- and medium-sized enterprises of China and CEEC as well as the vision of RDI.
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