Strengthening Friendship Between China and Europe, Expanding Talent Cooperation and Exchange
– Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 China-Europe Talent Forum on October 15, 2024, in Beijing
By Du Zhanyuan, President of China International Communications Group
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
Good morning!
Today, this beautiful and open environment around us has created a special vibe for the 2024 China-Europe Talent Forum. On behalf of the China International Communications Group (CICG), I would like to congratulate the organizers for convening the forum and extend my warm greetings to the distinguished guests from home and abroad for your presence!
Du Zhanyuan, President of China International Communications Group, delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 China-Europe Talent Forum on October 15, 2024, in Beijing.
The history of exchange between China and Europe is long and profound. Since the 16th century, European thinkers represented by Voltaire, Bertrand Russell, and Arnold Joseph Toynbee have taken Chinese philosophy as a valuable complement to the European ideological system. China has also absorbed the ideas of European giants such as Adam Smith, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Karl Marx for its transformation and progress.
In recent years, exchanges and interactions between the two sides in various fields have become increasingly close. Last year, China piloted a visa-free policy for more than 10 European countries. Today, another four countries, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, and Slovenia, are also included in this policy, facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges. During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Europe this May, he had strategic communication with several European leaders and they reached consensus, sending out a strong message of peace, unity, and cooperation.
I would like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts on talent exchange and cooperation between China and Europe.
First, we should promote science and technology for good and contribute wisdom to the common progress of humanity. Science and technology constitute the most fundamental driving force for human development, and science and technology talents remain the most valuable human resources on our planet. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence have given a strong impetus to the world’s development; but at the same time, they have also brought many new challenges in areas such as law, security, and ethics. As important pillars of global scientific and technological innovation, China and Europe should deepen international cooperation in science and technology to improve the well-being of people around the world, strengthen exchanges among scientists, technicians and entrepreneurs, and share the results. They should also jointly seize the opportunities brought by new technological development and jointly address risks and challenges to contribute golden ideas and more solutions to human development and progress.
Second, we should strengthen economic and trade cooperation to build up force for sustainable development. In recent years, China-Europe economic and trade relations have been close, and supply chains, industrial chains, and value chains are deeply integrated. In 2023, the average volume of goods trade between China and Europe per minute was nearly US $1.5 million, two-way investment stock surpassed US $25 million, and the China-Europe Railway Express reached 224 cities across 25 countries.
At the same time, “de-risking,” “protectionism” and other issues have been testing China-Europe economic and trade relations. China-Europe cooperation is essentially to leverage complementary advantages and achieve mutual benefits. But it requires much more than material exchanges. We should strengthen dialogue and consultation in the economic and trade sectors and among professionals in this area. To understand common concerns and resolve trade dispute, there is a greater need for mutual trust and consensus, which will add new vitality to China-Europe economic and trade cooperation.
Third, we should deepen mutual learning among civilizations to consolidate the humanistic foundations for building a community of shared future. Culture is a bridge for people to know each other about their heart and emotions and can create a bond that deepens understanding and trust between countries. The enduring friendship between China and Europe needs continuous nurturing in the field of culture. Talent exchanges are not only about human resources, but also about cultures and emotions. As important representatives of human civilizations, China and Europe should strengthen mutual learning among civilizations and enrich people-to-people exchanges, in particular among the media and think tanks, and in the field of education, so that we can forge a closer bond between our peoples.
In talent exchanges, young people are the most dynamic force. I would like to particularly emphasize that we should give more attention and support to young talents, support exchanges among international and local students, and encourage dialogues between the younger generations in China and Europe.
The CICG is a comprehensive international communication organization committed to promoting people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. The CICG instituted the Orchid Awards in 2022 and at the inaugural ceremony in 2023, 10 international friends were awarded for their remarkable contributions to mutual learning between China and the rest of the world. We are ready to join hands with like-minded institutions and individuals at the national and global levels to contribute wisdom and energy for progress in China-Europe relations.
I wish the China-Europe Talent Forum every success! Thank you.
