On January 13, 2022, the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) of Tsinghua University and China Forum jointly organized the 25th Security and Strategy Seminar themed “The Changing Landscape of Afghanistan and Its Impact.” H.E. YUE Xiaoyong, Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, was invited to share his 112-day diplomatic experience of 30 visits to 15 countries, as well as his latest insights into Afghanistan.

​In a recent interview with the BBC, Senior Colonel Zhou Bo (ret.), Fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University and China Forum Expert, shared his views on China’s military power.

​On December 7-8, the Valdai Discussion Club hosted the 12th Asian Conference in Sochi, Russia, titled “Russia and Asia in a Changing World Order.” The event brought together experts from more than ten countries, including Russia, China, Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia, for face-to-face and virtual discussions.

Geopolitical changes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and sluggish global economic recovery in 2021 have led to new developments in China-Europe relations. There are concerns about how we ought to look at the current China-Europe ties, what opportunities and challenges we face, and where this relationship is moving forward. In this context, China Forum (CF) and the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) of Tsinghua University jointly organized the “Workshop on China-Europe Relations” and the “21st Security and Strategy Seminar” on December 3.

On November 17-18, the 3rd China-US-Canada Trilateral Relations Roundtable took place virtually. The event, hosted by the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) with the China Program at the Carter Center and the China Institute at the University of Alberta, focused on key economic, security, environment and other issues for the trilateral ties. Among the panelists were China Forum experts including HONG Nong, Executive Director, ICAS; WU Shicun, Founding President, National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS); YAN Yan, Director, Research Center for Oceans Law and Policy, NISCSS; and LI Chen, Fellow, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University. HAN Hua, Executive Committee Member of the China Forum, also joined the dialogue.

​ From November 13-15, the 8th Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate took place in Abu Dhabi. Organized by the Emirates Policy Center, the conference this year was themed “The Post-Pandemic World,” focusing on regional and international environments in the post-COVID era. The three-day event convened more than 100 participants from across the global academia to discuss topics such as “The State of the World: Where Are We Heading?” “Emerging Security Threats: Pandemics and Climate Change,” “Technology, Cybersecurity, and the Future of Global Politics,” “Digitalization and the Future of Global Economy,” and “The Future of Peace in the Middle East.”

Established in 2021, the Student Think Tank for Europe-Asia Relations (STEAR) is the world’s first think tank for young people across Asia and Europe. It aims to connect the two continents, and to strengthen multilateral cooperation and international prosperity. On November 6 and 7, STEAR held its first annual conference, bringing together students, politicians, diplomats and business leaders from around the world to share their insights on international relations.

On November 7, the 1st World Conference on Best Practicing of Carbon Neutrality was held in Beijing. A supporting event of the 4th China International Import Expo, this conference was hosted by the Silk Road Cities Alliance, China-EU Association and China-Europe Association for Technical and Economic Cooperation, with the support of dozens of organizations including the China Forum, SinoCarbon Innovation & Investment, Beijing Belt & Road Cooperative Community, Shanxi Institute for Silk Road Digital Economy, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China, Panasonic China, Jupeng Bio, Guizhou Qingli Group, RSBK, CIECC Overseas Consulting, JETRO, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, etc.

The UK-China Climate Change and Sustainability Summit took place on October 27-28, 2021. The event was jointly organized by the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) of Tsinghua University, China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), and the UK National Committee on China (UKNCC). CPDA President H.E. WU Hailong, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Chairman of UKNCC Advisory Board, and Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, delivered welcome remarks.

The UK-China Climate Change and Sustainability Summit took place on October 27-28, 2021. The hybrid event held both in-person and virtually was jointly organized by the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University, China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), and the UK National Committee on China (UKNCC).

On October 22, Beijing time, the Ditchley Foundation held a conference themed “The Indo-Pacific: how can we best promote strategic stability, economic growth and the rule of law in the region?” Among more than 90 invited panelists from over 20 countries were China Forum experts ZHOU Bo, fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University; HUANG Jing, professor at Beijing Language and Culture University; WANG Dong, professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University; and YAN Yan, director of the Research Center of Ocean Law and Policy, National Institute for South China Sea Studies. The discussants explored topics such as “promotion of the rule of law, human rights and stability,” “promotion of innovation, development and economic growth, and climate change,” and “promotion of strategic stability and management of flashpoints.”

ZHOU Bo, a fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) of Tsinghua University and a China Forum expert, delivered a speech and took part in the discussion in Session 1 of the event themed “Substitute for a World War or a Prelude to it?” on October 18.

On October 13, 2021, a dialogue for the business community organized by the China Forum in collaboration with The European House - Ambrosetti, a leading European think tank, was held in Shanghai. The event convened members of the Ambrosetti Community China Chapter and top management of international companies in energy, industrial manufacturing, consumer goods, law and other sectors. The dialogue was moderated by Roberto Donà, Professor at International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU, with Eric Li, Vice Chairman of the China Forum, and Michele Geraci, former Under-Secretary of State for the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, as guest speakers. Mattia Marino, CEO of Ambrosetti in China, delivered a speech at the event.

On October 9, the 2021 Erhai Forum on Global Ecological Civilization Construction took place in Dali, Yunnan Province, China in the lead-up to COP15. A supporting event of the Erhai Forum, the Workshop on One Planet, Biodiversity and Green Financing was held by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the China Forum of Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy in Shaxi, Yunnan on October 9 and 10. The workshop brought together more than 20 renowned experts in the fields of ecology, environment, public health, and economics to explore innovative financing for sustainable development.

On September 29, the Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China invited HAN Hua, Executive Committee Member of the China Forum, to share her insights at the seminar “From Monologue to Dialogue—Public Diplomacy Practices in the New Era.”

On September 29th, Professor ZHOU Hong, China Forum Expert and Academic Member and Chair of the Division of International Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, participated in a panel discussion entitled “Shifting Sands: Geopolitics in Crisis Mode” in the Athens Democracy Forum. The session was moderated by Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent in Europe for The New York Times, and featured speakers including Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography, and Ibijoke Faborode, Co-Founder and Executive Director of ElectHER.

On September 4, 2021, ChinaHUB-Shanghai of The European House-Ambrosetti Forum entitled “Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy,” was held in Shanghai. The event, co-organized by the China Forum, brought together an array of speakers, including Eric LI, Vice Chairman of the China Forum; HUANG Renwei, China Forum Expert; HUANG Jing, University Professor at Beijing Language and Culture University; Michele Geraci, former Undersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Economic Development; and Richard Carney, Professor of Strategy and International Business at China Europe International Business School.

On August 25, ZHOU Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy and a China Forum Expert, gave an interview to Euronews Tonight to discuss China’s views and position on Afghanistan.

On June 14 local time, Going Underground on RT aired an interview with Eric Li, Vice Chairman of the China Forum, where he shared his views on current Chinese issues of interest.

One year after the China-India border skirmish in the Galwan Valley, Senior Colonel ZHOU Bo (ret) gave an interview to the BBC to explain China’s position. Colonel Zhou is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University, a China Forum Expert and former Director of the Centre for Security Cooperation at the Office for International Military Cooperation, Ministry of National Defense.

On the morning of May 11, 2021, a workshop themed “Real Images · Real Xinjiang” was held in Beijing by the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University and Beijign InHope Pictures Co., Ltd. The event brought together close to 30 participants from academia, the China Forum, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, media, and Tsinghua University.