On December 26, 2020, China Forum of the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University, held its Year-End Review Meeting and the Seminar on International Communication, gathering its Vice Chair Eric X. Li (via videolink) and more than 20 members for discussions. Secretary-General ZHANG Lirong took stock of the institution’s achievements in 2020 and proposed its vision for 2021. In 2020, China Forum organized over 60 international seminars, published 35 articles in foreign media, and delivered 44 short videos, 10 podcasts and four original columns with 49 issues. 

Following the Review Meeting, a thematic seminar was held to reflect on how best China can improve its global communication competence in the current international context. It was agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed daunting challenges for China in terms of global public opinion. Despite its achievements in public diplomacy and external communication, there is a long way ahead towards its ambitious mandate. Stronger coordination and interaction is needed among think tanks, media, business and the government. Private think tanks and communication platforms should play a more significant part in this undertaking. To showcase China’s voices, it is necessary to equip its storytellers with expertise, solid narrative skills, and a thorough understanding of national policies, so that they could make China’s policies plain and truly comprehensible to the world. On top of that, it was suggested that China take the initiative to voice its opinions on certain issues, including critical global challenges, by setting its own global communication agenda.