On October 12, 2022, the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) of Tsinghua University and China Forum (CF) held the 50th Security and Strategy Seminar themed “Afghanistan’s Today and Tomorrow.” Yue Xiaoyong, Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China Forum Expert, was invited to give a keynote speech on the coordination and cooperation mechanism among neighbors of Afghanistan as well as on the reconstruction and counter-terrorism developments in Afghanistan. Panelists discussed the current state and future of the country, the strategic tug-of-war among major powers on Afghanistan, the influence of its neighbors, the uncertainties brought by the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the country, the solutions to the Afghanistan issue, and China’s diplomatic goals and challenges regarding Afghanistan. CF Secretary General Zhang Lirong and CISS Deputy Director Xiao Qian made opening and concluding remarks respectively at the seminar, which was moderated by CF executive committee member Han Hua.

The event also featured Chen Xiaogong, CISS academic committee member and China Forum expert; Yao Yunzhu, CISS academic committee member and senior advisor to the China Association of Military Sciences; Zhang Baijia, former deputy director of the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee; Zhao Huasheng, China Forum expert and professor at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University; Zhou Bo, CISS senior fellow and China Forum expert; Zhao Minghao, CISS expert and fellow at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University; Diao Daming, CISS expert and associate professor at the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China; Li Li, CISS expert and director of the Center for Defense Innovation, Northwestern Polytechnical University; Wang Dong, deputy director of the Office of Humanities and Social Sciences and professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University; Yao Jinxiang, CISS expert and assistant research fellow of the Department for Developing Countries Studies, China Institute of International Studies; and CISS fellows Song Bo, Dong Ting, Sun Chenghao, Zhu Rongsheng, Miao Zhengming, and Wen Jing, among others.