On October 9, the 4th China Road European Forum 2017 was held in France
On October 9, 2017, the 4th Europe Forum on the Chinese Path (France Session) was held in Paris, France. The French session of the forum was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the French Communist Party, and the Gabriel Péri Foundation. It was co-organized by the Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, the French Center for the Study of Social Trends, the French journal La Pensée (Thought), and the French magazine Project, with support from the French newspaper L'Humanité, the Theory Department of China's People's Daily, and the editorial office of the Chinese journal Marxism Studies. More than 100 experts and scholars from think tanks and research institutions in China and France attended this forum. The theme of this year's forum was "Sino-European Cooperation Under the Belt and Road Initiative [1]." Over thirty scholars from CASS, the Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau [2], China University of Political Science and Law, Nanjing Normal University, Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhengzhou University, and Anhui University, alongside representatives from the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization, UN experts, and the American University of Paris, conducted in-depth, extensive, and candid exchanges and discussions on issues such as the prospects of the Belt and Road Initiative, the reshuffling of labor rights, international security, and new forms of international cooperation.
Deng Chundong, Director and Party Committee Secretary of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, Delivers an Important Speech
Researcher Deng Chundong, Director and Party Committee Secretary of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, delivered remarks on behalf of the hosts. Deng Chundong pointed out that the Belt and Road issue has received a broad response from the United Nations and 193 countries in the international community. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by President Xi Jinping is neither a colonialist expansion of overseas markets, nor a remake of the Marshall Plan, nor an instance of neoliberal globalization, but rather a new type of globalization strategy. The principles of the BRI are "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits [3]," adhering to equality and mutual benefit. It is not a zero-sum game, it does not involve the export of ideology, and it is not about forming interest groups; rather, it is for the well-being of the people of the world. Currently, the world is facing problems of a peace deficit, a development deficit, and a global governance deficit. we must build a community with a shared future for humanity, abandon the unipolar thinking and Cold War mentality of the past, reject hegemonism, and construct a new global governance order.
Lydia Samarbakhsh, head of International Relations for the French Communist Party, introduced the situation in France while presiding over the opening ceremony. She discussed President Macron’s determination for reform regarding labor laws and defense budgets after taking office, which has also elevated the position of foreign trade in France’s economic development; his boldness and innovation have attracted more foreign investors. Samarbakhsh argued that against this backdrop, the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is more in line with France's development needs and opens a new horizon for the development of France and Europe as a whole. Samarbakhsh stated: "The Belt and Road Initiative provides an inspiring new form of cooperation for global development. What the BRI involves is not just a single region, but cooperation between countries across different continents. The foundation upon which the BRI can be implemented is the promotion of economic cooperation and infrastructure construction. Clearly, such a mutually beneficial model is worth participating in. More importantly, this cross-border and cross-regional cooperation in infrastructure construction also allows the human rights and freedoms of ordinary people along the routes to be better protected."
Ms. Dominique Bari, Editor-in-Chief of the French magazine La Pensée, delivers a speech
Francis Wurtz, Honorary Member of the European Parliament and Director of the Institute of European Studies at Paris 8 University, delivers a speech
Group photo of the 2017 Sino-European Forum French Session
The participating experts unanimously agreed that we must advocate for an inclusive globalization and forge a fair, just, and peaceful globalization process. We must strengthen multi-level exchanges and discussions to let Europeans and French people understand the Belt and Road Initiative better, promote Sino-European cooperation, facilitate the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity, and allow the people along the routes to receive more tangible benefits.
(Contributed by Chen Zhigang, Pan Xihua, and Li Kaixuan; Photography by Wang Zhongbao)