On July 8, 2022, China Forum (CF) of Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy held a mid-year workshop for its student assistants. Moderated by CF Secretary General Zhang Lirong, the event convened the Forum’s executive committee member Han Hua, all CF staff and student assistants. At the meeting, the student assistants received appreciation for their hard work and positive feedback for the progress they have made. They then shared their experience and takeaways as CF interns, as well as ideas on the Forum’s next steps. Participants engaged in a robust discussion on how to expand and improve the work of the Forum. The speeches of the five student assistants are summarized below.

Zu Baidiya：Research Assistant, Taihe Institute; MA in Diplomacy, China Foreign Affairs University, Class of 2022.

Looking back on my internship as a student assistant at China Forum for nearly a year, I have been engaged in several projects of the Forum, such as “Buzzwords” and “Reference,” and observed more than a dozen international seminars. I was also selected as one of the 100 Leaders of Tomorrow in the Global Essay Competition 2022 of the St. Gallen Symposium.

Already enjoying close ties with think tanks and research institutions in Europe and the US, I believe CF could benefit even more from engaging with institutions in developing regions such as Latin America, Central Asia, and Africa, as well as from strengthening its partnerships with think tanks at home, so as to build a sharing and communication platform for think tanks in universities and the private sector.

Jiang Shaocheng：MA in International Public Policy, School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University, Class of 2024; Member, Young Talent Academy: Digital, Guanghua School of Management, Peking University; Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Laws.

By engaging in the organization of the Forum’s conferences, as well as in news aggregation and article translation, I have, over the past year, become more familiar with what a first-class think tank does and gained a deeper understanding of international affairs and China’s story. My internship here has created a positive synergy with my studies.

Li Zexi：MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Berkeley; an international relations enthusiast; recently joined Guancha.cn.

The two years I spent as an intern at China Forum were an invaluable experience for me. I was able to increase my knowledge about current affairs by always trying to dive deeper into a story while writing for projects of the Forum, such as “Buzzwords” and “Reference.” As I participated in conferences organized or co-organized by the Forum, I was able to hear from leading scholars and industry heavyweights. In addition, I have published several articles with Professor Wang Yuanfeng in the South China Morning Post and on the website of the UK National Committee on China.

Cheng Zeli：BA in Asian and African Languages and Literature (Malay), School of Asian Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Class of 2022; will start my MPhil in Development Studies at the Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge this fall.

During my one-year internship at China Forum, I worked mainly as a content creator for “Buzzwords” and “Reference,” apart from writing the Forum’s press releases. The nature of my work urged me to stay abreast of the latest developments in international affairs, and to continuously reflect on such issues in greater depth. Here, I have had the privilege of hearing first hand from international-relations specialists, whose unique and thought-provoking insights have provided me with a fresh perspective on international affairs.

I hope that China Forum will grow into a platform for research institutions, think tanks, experts and academics to discuss, create and share with each other, and continue to foster two-way communication between China and the rest of the world, so that we can truly hear each other.

Zhang Jiayi：A junior at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; recently completed a year-long exchange program in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University with distinction.

During my time as a student assistant at China Forum, I have had the opportunity to participate in international conferences as observers and contributed regularly to the Forum’s “Buzzwords” and “Reference” projects. My work here has opened up new horizons for me, enriched my knowledge and skills, and allowed me to better understand the global landscape today’s China is navigating, its foreign policy, the significance of cultural diplomacy in promoting international understanding, as well as the importance of telling China’s story on the world stage.