7th China-CEEC Think-Tank Symposium

7th China-CEEC Think-Tank Symposium was held on October 26, 2021. The Symposium was co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, and the China Foundation for International Studies, co-organized by the Institute of European Studies of CASS, China-CEEC Think Tanks Network, and Diplomatic Institute to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

About 100 participants, including government officials, think tank leaders, experts, scholars and media from China, Bulgaria and other CEE countries, attended the Symposium.

Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences - Wang Linggui, Counselor of the Secretariat of China-CEEC Cooperation Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China - Cui Zhimin, President of China Foundation for International Studies - Lan Lijun, Director General of the Global Affairs Directorate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria - Ulyana Bogdanska attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. The State Secretary of Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Stanislav Raščan sent a video speech to the conference to congratulate the seminar on its successful opening.

In the plenary session, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria - Dong Xiaojun, Director of the Institute of European Studies of CASS - Feng Zhongping, Director of the Diplomatic Institute to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria - Tanya Mikhailova, Executive Director, Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and CEE countries - Momchil Stanishev, former Romanian Ambassador to China and South Korea, former EU Envoy to Japan and former Director for Asia-Pacific in the European External Action Service of the EU - Viorel Isticioaia-Budura, delivered keynote speeches.

Experts and scholars from China and Central and Eastern European countries focused on following topics: “Nine Years of China-CEEC Cooperation: Achievements, Challenges, Opportunities”, “Harnessing China-CEEC Cooperation Potential for Post-Pandemic Recovery”, “Utilizing China-CEEC Cooperation Potential in Green and Digital Transformation” and “Evaluating and Further Developing China-CEEC Connectivity driven Cooperation in (infrastructure & transportation, local cooperation, people-to-people, cultural and educational exchange)”.

The Opening Ceremony & Plenary Session

Panel 1

Panel 2

Panel 3

Panel 4