Dear Members of think tanks, scholars, researchers, experts and related representatives,

The Institute of European Studies to CASS and the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute will co-hold in cooperation with the 17+1 China-CEEC Think Tanks Network the 8th China-CEEC High-level Think Tanks Symposium in October 2021. Due to still travelling difficulties/restrictions following Covid-19, the Symposium is planned to take place in a hybrid format, offline/residentially in Beijing (China) and online, from Sofia (Bulgaria).    

The 8th edition of China-CEEC Think Tanks Symposium will be an important step forward towards promoting and upgrading the China-CEEC cooperation and will be aimed at reiterating the lead role of the 17+1 China-CEEC Think Tank Network as a substantive discussion platform for academic, expert, policy research and scientific driven exchange between China and the Central and Eastern European countries (members of the 17+1).  

Leaders from China and CEEC, representatives of think tanks, policy researchers, scholars, experts, practitioners from multiple fields of study, work and professional background will be invited to contribute to the success of the Symposium.

We now call for papers from China and European think tanks. Once approved by peer review, the organizers will invite you to attend the symposium.

Topics

The Symposium welcomes papers on the following themes but not limited to:

1. Looking at the 17+1 from a perspective of 9 years of mutually productive and beneficial China-CEEC cooperation.   

Assessing the 17+1 cooperation platform from a point of institutional, structural, policy-making, strategic and etc. framework of analysis; reviewing performance of sectoral cooperation mechanisms (as an institutional novelty within the 17+1) and offering ways of improving their performance and overall contribution to the 17+1 development; discussing the internal and external challenges and future prospects for the 17+1. Reviewing the 17+1 in the context of EU-China relationship (incl. in the context of recently concluded EU-China Bilateral Investment Agreement).

2. Assessing the China-CEEC cooperation potential for jointly tackling health and economic recovery related issues (caused by the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic)

The focus will be made on analysing, sharing data, information, good practices and experiences on containment and treatment, as well as cooperation on vaccine production, usage and transportation, so as to enhance the level of health and medical cooperation between China and CEE countries in the context of battling COVID-19 pandemic. We will also probe into means of re-restarting normal economic activity (both in China and the CEEC), including ways of re-opening of production and services sector, resuming of active business exchanges between China and CEEC in a steady and orderly manner (considered urgent and important steps towards steady economic recovery and sustainability).  

3. Promoting jointly China-CEEC cooperation in fields of green economy and digital economic transformation.

In view of that we will explore ways of deepening exchanges and cooperation in transition to energy and environmental sustainability, tap the potential of green economy and environmental cooperation between China and CEE countries (incl. assessing the positive impact of the EU Green Deal on China-CEEC in renewable energy and climate focused cooperation). We will also examine the ways of expanding the cooperation in the fields of digital economy (in particular, assess the transformative power of e-commerce and e-learning/knowledge sector for the global economy) and cyber governance (incl. cyber standardization, cyber security, development and application of digital infrastructure technologies and Artificial Intelligence in various sectors of industry and services).

4. Strengthening in practice connectivity-driven cooperation (for instance, in fields of infrastructure development, transportation and logistics, local cooperation and people-to-people exchange)

In the context of synergizing 17+1 and Belt and Road Initiative the emphasis will be put on evaluating trade and investment potential between China and CEEC, proposing ways for fostering mutually beneficial local cooperation, people-to-people exchange, and in general, promoting high-quality inter-connectivity development. In view of that, we will review ways of upgrading the cooperation model in joint implementation of strategic transportation and infrastructure projects and thus help realisation of BR trans-continental economic corridors such as China-Europe Railway Express, China-Europe Land Sea Express Line, and the Air Silk Road to name a few.  

Papers’

requirement

The number of words of academic papers is not strictly limited, and it needs to meet the standard of general academic papers. The paper format adopts Chicago Manual citation style (16th Edition).

Submission

Please submit your paper to:

juww@cass.org.cn 

or 

han-meng@cass.org.cn

valentin.katrandjiev@mfa.bg 

or 

valentino_k@diplomacy.edu

Dr Valentin Katrandzhiev (coordinator from the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute) 

Deadline

Publication

Papers will be published as the form of Proceedings after the Symposium.