CCG’s 2023 Memories and Happy New Year in 2024!
January 05 , 2024
In 2023, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) celebrated its 15th anniversary. Over the past 15 years, we have been profoundly appreciative of the unwavering support received from all segments of society. With the collective attention and backing of various sectors, CCG has charted an innovative course, characterized by relentless dedication and continuous innovation.
On the domestic front, CCG has steadfastly championed the harmonious convergence of China and globalization across society. Our commitment extends to providing valuable guidance to policymaking and catering to the needs of the public. Internationally, we have been fervently engaged in think tank diplomacy, fostering the creation of a robust international dialogue platform, and actively facilitating people-to-people diplomacy and international cultural exchanges.
This year, the world once again stands at a pivotal juncture in history, grappling with a multitude of challenges that confront global development. In response to these evolving global dynamics, CCG has tirelessly contributed its intellectual resources to enhance international cooperation and champion the cause of inclusive globalization.
Diligently Practicing Think Tank-Driven People-to-People Diplomacy and Amplifying China’s Global Voice
It has been six years since CCG embarked on venture abroad in 2017. Even amid the challenging climate of limited cultural exchanges and mutual visits, CCG has continued to serve as a pioneering think tank in the realm of people-to-people diplomacy, breaking numerous records in Chinese think tank delegations. On the first anniversary of this “Icebreaking Trip”, CCG conducted a total of 6 global journeys, lasting a total of 71 days, visiting 22 cities in 15 countries and cooperating with top international multilateral policy forums such as the Munich Security Council, the Paris Peace Forum, and the Doha Forum, participating in agenda setting and holding nearly 100 official events.
During the Munich Security Conference held in Munich, Germany, CCG organized an official side event titled “Oasis or Mirage: Analyzing China-U.S. Relations on Climate Cooperation.” In Berlin, Germany, CCG collaborated with the BMW Foundation to host a dinner exchange titled “Cooperation in Competition.” In Paris, France, CCG paricipated in a seminar with the Aspen Institute. In Brussels, Belgium, CCG co-hosted three seminars in partnership with the European Policy Center (EPC) and also attended a luncheon hosted by the Europe-Asia Center. In Doha, Qatar, CCG had the honor of hosting two sub-forums as the exclusive Chinese partner of the 21st Doha Forum. These sub-forums delved into critical topics such as “Prospects for Peace in Ukraine” and “A Multilateral Dialogue on Regional Security and Diplomacy.”
CCG was also prominently featured on over 30 esteemed international multilateral forum platforms, where we articulated our perspectives on pressing matters such as China-US climate collaboration, Russia-Ukraine tensions, the Palestine-Israel conflicts, the emergence of a multipolar world order, the significance of BRICS, the Global South’s role in global affairs, and the advancements in artificial intelligence, among other critical subjects. These include the Paris Peace Forum, the 36th Asia-Pacific Roundtable at Kuala Lumpur, the Salzburg Global Seminar, the Munich Young Leaders (MYL) Annual Meeting in New Dehli, In, the 10th Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh, the Horasis Asia Meeting in Singapore, the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF), the Mongolia Forum, the Global CEO Retreat, the Dialogue Between Civilizations On Global Commons in Vatican City, the H20 Summit in Geneva, the Global Solutions Summit in Berlin, the Gstaad Summit, the Dubrovnik Forum, sessions at the OECD headquarters in Paris, the Strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific Congress at the German Bundestag, the China-Africa Conference in London, the OMFIF’s China forum in London, the Eurasia Forum in Budapest, the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, the Stockholm Forum in Singapore, the 2023 Doha Forum held in Doha, Qatar, and the 2023 World Automotive Think Tank Conference held in Macau.
CCG undertook extensive visits to pivotal locations housing international organizations, notably New York and Switzerland, engaging with numerous prominent global think tanks and holding discussions with hundreds of distinguished figures from various backgrounds. Furthermore, CCG established contact with more than ten Chinese embassies across the world, including those in the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, and Qatar.
These interactions encompassed in-person meetings with numerous highly influential international personalities, and CCG’s travels to diverse countries and cities fostered a wide spectrum of exchanges and influences. This collective effort marks an unprecedented chapter in the history of Chinese think tank visits since the onset of the pandemic.
Harnessing Think Tank Resources to Fulfill Our Consultative Mission
Throughout 2023, CCG has issued a total of seven research reports, published seven books in simplified Chinese, two books in traditional Chinese, and six books in English. Additionally, CCG has submitted 126 recommendations and produced ten editions of its internal reference journal. The subject matter of these recommendations closely mirrors the international landscape and the demands of the country’s endeavors in opening up and development. They encompass a wide array of current pressing topics, including China-US relations, China-Europe relations, developments in the Middle East, and global governance. In this way, CCG has contributed its invaluable think tank insights to relevant national ministries.
These include the new book Soft Power and Great-Power Competition [English & Chinese translation] by Professor Joseph Nye, former dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; the latest work Asia’s 21st Century [Chinese translation] by senior Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani on the rise of Asia, whose English version has received widespread attention from the international community. Since its launch on January 1, 2022, the cumulative download volume has exceeded 4 million times, which is dozens of times the average download volume of academic publications; China in the Eyes of Europeans: Eight Hundred Years of Cultural and Knowledge Exchange [Chinese translation], Consensus or Conflict? – China and Globalization in the 21st Century [Chinese translation], Insight: China in a Changing World [Chinese translation], Global Think Tanks (2.0), Chine: Comment l’Occident se fabrique des ennemis [Chinese translation], Escaping Thucydides’s Trap, Strategies for Chinese Enterprises Going Global, The Challenge of “Going Out”, Transition and Opportunity, 2023 Report on China and Globalization, White Paper on the Cultivation of International Talent in China, Report on Talent Development in Asia under Technological Change, Report on the Development of Chinese Youth in New Professions under the New Employment Patterns, Report on the BRI 10th Anniversary, Strengthen Asia-Pacific Cooperation and Participate in Indo-Pacific Cooperation.
CCG was also invited to hold important forums at several national platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE), China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), and the Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE). In the past year, CCG’s activity layout not only deeply covered the central level, but also deeply cultivated local areas, covering Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hebei, Shandong, Chengdu, Dalian, Macau, Hong Kong and other places. It has attracted widespread attention at the national level and established brand perception at the local level, laying a solid foundation for promoting international exchanges, think tank cooperation, and common development.
CCG’s research results have also been released to the world at high-profile events such as the China International Import (CIIE), China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), the Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE), the Global Talent Education and Development Forum, the Global Talent Summit, the Global Youth Conference, the China and Globalization Forum, and the China Global Think Tank Innovation Forum.
Connecting China and Foreign Countries, Communicating with the World
In the post-pandemic era, amid significant global challenges and transformations, CCG actively engages with influential international figures, including ambassadors in China. We expand international exchange channels through think tank initiatives such as ambassador roundtable forums, collaborative seminars with embassies in China, and the establishment of ambassador roundtables within brand forums.
Distinguished participants, including Xie Zhenhua, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Wu Hongbo, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs, Liu Zhenmin, Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs/former Chinese ambassador to the European Union, Nicholas Burns, U.S. Ambassador to China, Jorge Toledo, EU Ambassador to China, as well as ambassadors representing more than 20 countries, experts, scholars, and representatives from Chinese and foreign enterprises, have shared invaluable insights and innovative proposals on cultural exchanges, global economic and trade cooperation, global climate governance, and China-EU collaboration.
CCG has also played host to numerous visits from ambassadors and embassy officials hailing from countries such as Italy, the U.S., France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK, Australia, and other countries, totaling 67 engagements. During these interactions, discussions have revolved around pressing global challenges and both international and domestic hot-button issues.
Prominent dignitaries and figures, including former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho, former Austrian Prime Minister Wolfgang Schüssel, former Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González, Singapore’s Minister of Communications and Information Josephine Teo, Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply Carlos Fávaro, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy alongside other national leaders, diplomats accredited to China, officials from international organizations, renowned global experts and scholars, representatives of multinational corporations, as well as delegation of U.S. young politicians, delegation of BusinessEurope, Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership (SIGNAL), delegation of Finnish industries, delegation of Duke University, and dlegation of the Our Hong Kong Foundation have all visited CCG.
CCG has fostered extensive international communication through a multifaceted approach, including over 30 livestream sessions on domestic and foreign platforms, 650 media interviews, the publication of more than 320 commentary articles, dissemination of over 700 emails, and coverage in more than 3,500 media reports. These efforts have garnered the attention of senior decision-makers and professionals across diverse fields on the international stage.
Engaging in Conversations with the Future, Advancing Alongside Youth
In 2023, CCG spearheaded six significant international youth exchange initiatives, bringing together over 20 experts from diverse fields and assembling more than 500 young participants hailing from over 40 countries. These gatherings facilitated offline dialogues on an array of vital topics, including climate change, cross-cultural interactions, comprehensive people’s democracy, innovation and entrepreneurship, youth-friendly urban environments, external urban exchanges, and international talent cultivation.
On the occasion of the second anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s reply letter to the Global Young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) foreign youth representatives, at the 2023 GYLD annual forum, 10 international politicians and heads of international organizations sent messages, and many ambassadors to China, representatives of international organizations to China, and leaders of relevant departments delivered speeches on the spot; at the 2023 Munich Young Leaders (MYL) Annual Meeting in New Delhi, India, CCG representative had in-depth exchanges and dialogues with 49 outstanding young people from more than 20 countries; a delegation of U.S. young politicians and Congress staffers visited CCG and had discussions with CCG managers and researchers and members of the GYLD project; CCG Thought Corner reviewed COP28 from multiple perspectives, and many participants of the United Nations Climate Change Conference had interactive exchanges on how young people can better participate in global governance; 11 international young people from countries walked into the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress and grassroots communities, had close conversations with representatives of the Municipal People’s Congress and grassroots officials, and immersed themselves in the Chinese scene, making the whole-process people’s democracy real and tangible; at the 2023 Chengdu Global Youth Talent Conference, several ambassadors to China and international youth gathered at the Business & Innovation Centre for China-Europe Cooperation (CCEC), extending invitations to young people around the world; at the 2023 Global Youth Conference, CCG once again collaborated with Shandong Provincial People’s government to have released research reports at the opening ceremony, conducted keynote speeches, and organized the “Huanghewan Youth Economic Forum” and the “Global Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum.”
Focusing on future development and building a forward-looking vision
To celebrate its 15th anniversary, CCG held a series of forums and seminars, including the China and Globalization Forum, the China Global Think Tank Innovation Forum, the China Inbound-Outbound Forum, and the book launch and roundtable for Global Think Tanka 2.0. These events focused on international hot topics such as “Reframing US-China Bipolar Dynamics by Pluralizing into China-West Relations”, “Global Order at the Crossroads: Ways Forward”, “Trends in the Chinese Economy and Investment Strategies”, and “Development Path of Think Tanks in the New Era”. More than 500 guests, including many senior policy makers, diplomats stationed in China, representatives of international organizations, leading figures and senior research scholars of Chinese think tanks, industry leaders, and representatives of many domestic and foreign media, attended the event to exchange cutting-edge views on global trends and formulate solutions to global challenges.
By focusing on bringing together experts from various fields such as government, industry, academia, and research, CCG provides a communication platform that brings together diverse perspectives and innovative ideas, attracting ideas from all walks of life to blend here and contribute wisdom and strength to building a more inclusive and prosperous globalization process.
The Past is Just a Prologue, the Future is Full of Expectations
As we step into 2024, at a significant juncture in history, CCG, as a pioneering and proactive player in China’s evolving think tank landscape, remains committed to fulfilling the aspirations of our era. We will persist in furnishing intellectual backing for China’s trajectory in globalization, harness the capabilities of social think tanks to actively engage in people-to-people diplomacy, act as a conduit for communication between China and other nations, and offer our insights to help forge global consensus.
Wishing everyone a joyous and prosperous New Year in 2024!
