The Academic Seminar on the “Discipline of Diplomacy and China's Diplomacy in the Post-Pandemic Era" of the 18th Annual National Conference on the Discipline of Diplomacy was held at Tongji University on April 22-24 and addressed by Mr. FENG Shenhong, Executive Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Tongji University, Mr. XU Jian, Dean of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), and Mr. YANG Jiemian, President of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations (SSSA) and Director of the Academic Committee of Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS) at its opening ceremony. Co-sponsored by CFAU and Tongji University, organized by the Institute for China Strategic Studies and the School of Political Science & International Relations, Tongji University, and co-organized by Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS), China Center for International Science and Technology Exchange (CISTE) and Sichuan University, the Seminar was attended by more than 90 experts and scholars from the Beijing Normal University, Central China Normal University, China Foreign Affairs University, China Institute of International Studies, China University of Political Science and Law, Fudan University, Jilin University, Jinan University, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nankai University, National University of Defense Technology, Peking University, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai Institute for International Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, Sichuan University, Tongji University, Tsinghua University, Wuhan University, Zhejiang Normal University, and China Center for International Science and Technology Exchange. Focusing on the theme of the "Discipline of Diplomacy and China's Diplomacy in the Post-Pandemic Era", participants discussed their theoretical and practical research into Chinese diplomacy in the post-pandemic era, put forth views on the way forward for the discipline of diplomacy, and shared insights into the prospective development of Chinese diplomacy in the new era.
Mr. MEN Honghua addressing the seminar
In his speech, Mr. FENG Shenhong pointed out that Tongji University has always adhered to its mission and tradition of "thriving with the country and benefiting the society with science and education" by linking its future with that of China and by staying at the forefront of exchanges between China and the rest of the world. He said that the School of Political Science & International Relations has seen rapid growth over the past years and emerged as a stellar example of Tongji's efforts to develop new liberal arts and an important vehicle for Tongji to pursue globalization, and that given the broad and far-reaching impact of COVID-19 and the diverse challenges presented by this pandemic, there must be new reflections on how to better cope with the risks and challenges ahead, thereby rendering strong intellectual support for addressing those crucial diplomatic issues. He called on all participants to strengthen mutual cooperation and share research findings in order to build a closely-linked academic community, and added that Tongji University is poised to work with all parties concerned to contribute to the thriving development of China's diplomacy and the discipline of diplomacy.
Mr. FENG Shenhong addressing the seminar
Mr. XU Jian mentioned that as one of the first higher education institutions in China to offer courses in diplomacy, China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) initiated in 2002 an academic seminar on the discipline of diplomacy and then gradually upgraded it into the largest annual conference on the discipline of diplomacy in China. He lauded Tongji University as a centuried university and one of the earliest government-funded higher education institutions in China, and praised the conference of this year, held in Tongji University, as a much-needed event for diplomacy scholars across China in the aftermath of the outbreak, adding that the world today is undergoing stupendous changes unseen in a century and that complicated diplomatic issues underscore the necessity of beefing up the research into diplomacy and in particular the cultivation of diplomats. Citing the significance of this conference, which was held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of CPC's founding and in the first year of the "14th Five-Year Plan", he urged experts and scholars present to freely share their insightful views and to contribute to the prosperous development of Chinese diplomacy.
Mr. XU Jian addressing the seminar
Mr. YANG Jiemian pointed out that the development of Chinese diplomacy and the discipline of Chinese diplomacy primarily rely on the Chinese people, and now is the best time. He called upon experts and scholars to share their knowledgeable perspectives on how to make new contributions to the construction of the discipline of Chinese diplomacy and to China's drive for great power diplomacy, hoping that they would return home with satisfaction and a whole-new understanding of diplomacy.
Mr. YANG Jiemian addressing the seminar
Later, keynote speeches were delivered in succession by Prof. YANG Jiemian, Prof. XU Jian, Counselor QIN Hong of the Policy Planning Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prof. LUO Hui (Director-General of and researcher at CISTE), Prof. ZHANG Qingmin (Chair of the Department of Diplomacy, School of International Studies, Peking University), Prof. LIU Hongwu (Dean of the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University), Prof. ZHAO Kejin (Associate Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University), Prof. SU Changhe (Dean of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University), and Prof. GUO Shuyong (Dean of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Shanghai International Studies University).
Participants at the seminar
The participants attended afterwards a plenary conference themed on "The Frontiers of International Relations and the Disciplinary Development of Diplomacy" and "Academic Journals, Disciplinary Development and Academic Community" to share insights, to discuss disciplinary development and to promote academic community building, and exchanged their incisive views at three parallel sessions themed on "Great Power Diplomacy and the 'Belt and Road' in the Post-Pandemic Era", "Interactions between China and the Rest of the World and the New Developments of Digital Diplomacy" and "Diplomatic System and Diplomatic Decision-Making Mechanism", respectively.
Group photo of all participants
https://news.tongji.edu.cn/info/1003/77367.htm
