On May 7, 2021, a book talk on Coevolutionary Pragmatism: Approaches and Impacts of China-Africa Economic Cooperation by TANG Xiaoyang was held in the Dalio Auditorium, Schwarzman College. Tang is a China Forum Expert, Resident Scholar at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, and Associate Professor of International Relations at Tsinghua University. H. E. Mr. Rahamtalla M. Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, attended the event, which was jointly organized by the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy, the Department of International Relations, and the Graduate Student Union of the School of Social Sciences, all at Tsinghua University. Ms. HAN Hua, Executive Committee Member of the China Forum, presided over the session.

On April 22 and 23, a conference titled “Global finance, states and societies: how can finance be one of the heroes of a green recovery from the great pandemic?” was held online by the Ditchley Foundation, a China Forum partner, convening more than 60 participants from around the world for discussions on the future of the UK as a financial center after Brexit, climate change and pandemic recovery, financial regulation in the digital age, and how global finance can be more resilient to face shocks without stifling innovation and investment. The Chinese panel included YU Xiang, Research Fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy and Senior Researcher at the Research Institute of China Construction Bank, and GONG Jiong, China Forum Expert and Professor of Economics at the University of International Business and Economics.

On April 16, 2021, the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (RUSI) held a webinar themed “Navigating the Indo-Pacific: Russia and China”, bringing together an international panel of Chinese and Russian academics, including ZHAO Huasheng, Professor, Institute of International Studies, Fudan University/China Forum Expert; LI Chen, Research Fellow, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University/ Associate Professor, School of International Studies, Renmin University of China; Alexander Gabuev, Senior Fellow, Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program, Carnegie Moscow Center; and Artyom Lukin, Associate Professor, Far Eastern Federal University, among others. The panel took a deep dive into issues around the China-Russia partnership.

On April 9, 2021, the Dialogue on China-Europe Relations was jointly held by the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University and The European House – Ambrosetti. H.E. WU Hongbo, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs, and H.E. Romano Prodi, former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Italy, were invited to deliver keynote speeches on the current China-Europe relations.

On March 31, 2021, a debate themed “Dual circulation: China’s place on the global stage” was co-organized by the Chinese Mission to the EU and Friends of Europe, looking at the “dual circulation” model and its impact for China, Asia and Europe on trade and geopolitical relations. Among the participant was Dr. HUANG Ping, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Director of the Center for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a China Forum expert.

On March 26th, the Munich Security Conference hosted a virtual roundtable on global health cooperation, bringing together more than 30 experts from WHO, UNICEF, the European Commission, GAVI the Vaccine Alliance and other organizations. Ms. TANG Bei, a China Forum Expert and Associate Fellow at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Shanghai International Studies University was one of the participants.

On March 26th, Professor. WANG Fan gave a lecture themed “Biden Administration and China-US Relations: Competitive Coexistence and New Balance” to about 100 students majored in foreign affairs and area studies at Shanghai International Studies University. Professor Wang is Vice President of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), and Expert of the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University. The lecture was jointly organized by the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies and CISS’s China Forum.

On March 26th, Mr. ZHANG Baijia gave a lecture themed “History and Lessons of the Chinese Communist Party’s Engagement with the US” to about 100 students in foreign affairs and area studies at Shanghai International Studies University. Mr. Zhang is former Deputy Director of the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee, a member of the Academic Committee of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, and a China Forum Expert. The lecture was jointly organized by the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies and CISS’s China Forum.

On March 18-19, the Ditchley conference themed “Europe and the UK: building a new partnership after Brexit” was held. Mr. ZHANG Lirong, Secretary General of the China Forum under the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, and Mr. GAO Jian, China Forum Expert, spoke at the international event.

In November 2020, Professor DA Wei, Research Fellow at Center for International Security and Strategy in Tsinghua University and China Forum Expert, was invited at the referral of the China Forum as one of the Chinese interviewees of Brook Lapping’s documentary series Trump Takes on the World, which was launched online on BBC in early February.

On February 25 and 26, 2021, the Ditchley Foundation held a webinar themed “Climate judo: how can the impact of the pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis be turned into effective action on climate change?” which spotlighted four issues: finding the political will and popular energy to take climate steps; finding the money to mitigate climate change; learning the lessons from the pandemic on technology and innovation; and advancing China-US climate cooperation.

On January 28 and 29, 2021, the Ditchley Foundation, a leading British think tank, held a closed-door international conference themed “Space: the new space race and its intersection with power, the rules-based order and the economy.”

On December 31, the inauguration ceremonies of the Advanced Institute of Global and Contemporary China Studies and the Shenzhen Institute of Data Economy of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen were held in Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub, followed by the Qianhai Forum on Development and the Mandate of the Times.

On December 21 and 22, 2020, the Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership (SIGNAL) held the 5th Annual Conference on Israel’s China Policy themed “The U.S.-China Rivalry and Israel’s Strategic Landscape” in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The conference featured parallel sessions including “Following U.S. Elections: The U.S.-China Rivalry and Implications for Israel,” “China-Israel Innovation Partnership: Looming Clouds or Bright Future?” and “China in the Middle East: What is Actually Happening?” Ambassador Dr. YUE Xiaoyong, China Forum Expert and Director of the Center for World Studies at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China, addressed the conference on “Promoting Mutually Beneficial Cooperation Towards a Future for All Humankind.” The event also drew together senior participants from government, business and academia in Europe, the U.S. and the Middle East.

The 11th Asian Conference of the Valdai Club, titled “Russia and Asia After the Pandemic” took place on December 9. ZHOU Bo, Senior Fellow of Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University and China Forum Expert, joined the session themed “The Shock of 2020: What We Lost and What We Gained in International Relations.”

On November 20, 2020, Dr. TANG Xiaoyang participated in a closed-door roundtable on “Security Cooperation in Africa” held virtually by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Dr. Tang is a China Forum Expert of Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University, Resident Scholar at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, and Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University.

On November 6, 2020, China Forum held a closed-door seminar on “The Trend of China-US Relations and the New International situation after the US Presidential Election”. Professor Ding Yifan, a researcher from the World Development Institute of the Development Research Center of the State Council, and a China Forum expert, was invited to share his analysis on US foreign policy and its China policy after the election as well as the impact of the global development of Chinese enterprises and their participation in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The 8th Annual Conference of the “Athens Democracy Forum” was held in Greece from September 30 to October 2, 2020. The forum was co-sponsored by The New York Times, the United Nations and the city of Athens, and was carried out in a combined online and offline manner. The forum focuses on rethinking the meaning of democracy in times of crisis and putting it into action.

On September 29, 2020, Mr. Gao Jian, a China Forum expert, and Director of the Center for British Studies of Shanghai International Studies University attended the “Resetting the next phase of EU-China relations post-COVID” online roundtable hosted by Friends of Europe, a well- known European think tank.

On August 11, 2020, Vice Foreign Minister of China Le Yucheng, in an exclusive interview with China Forum, stressed “The coming months are crucial for China-U.S. relations. We must maintain our focus and not be swayed by various extreme forces.” With regard to China-U.S. relationship, he warned against the Cold War mentality and urged both countries to focus on communication and cooperation.