President Tao Yitao Visits Korean Culture Center of Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Bureau of International Cooperation, CASS, and China-African Institute for Discussing Cooperation

Mr. Kim Jin Gon first invited President Tao Yitao to visit various Korean culture exhibition halls in the Korean Cultural Center and explained in detail the strategies and methods South Korea has adopted to promote Korean culture globally and share cultural information with institutions around the world. Afterwards, Mr. Kim Jin Gon accompanied President Tao Yitao to watch a promotional video produced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The video showcased tradition and modernity as well as culture and art of South Korea through the four elements of "Water, Earth, Fire and Wind" and was highly praised by President Tao Yitao.

 
During the meeting, Mr. Kim Jin Gon introduced the functions and tasks of Korean Culture Center of Embassy of the Republic of Korea, and expressed his willingness to strengthen communication and cooperation with BRRI.
Mr. Kim Jin Gon expressed that various Korean organizations were developing a focused presence in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and hoped to strengthen various exchanges including cultural exchanges between China and South Korea through BRRI at this historical moment. 
As officials of central government departments of South Korea, Mr. Kim, SungJin and Mr. Kim Sang-Hyun also introduced their mission in China and potential fields of cooperation that can be reached with BRRI.

 
President Tao Yitao introduced to the three South Korea diplomats in detail the history, development orientation and mission of BRRI. In response to President Tao Yitao's detailed introduction, the three diplomats indicated that they would contact various relevant South Korea government agencies in China to visit BRRI and discuss cooperation in details. President Tao Yitao also presented her monograph to Mr. Kim Jin Gon.
 
The visit to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea was a beginning of the "Belt and Road Ambassador Visits” initiated by BRRI. Next, BRRI will successively visit ambassadors of the countries along the Belt and Road dispatched to China to discuss cooperation plans.

 
II. President Tao Yitao Visited China-African Institute
On the afternoon of October 26, 2020, President Tao Yitao and her delegation visited the headquarters of China-African Institute located in Chinese Academy of History, at the invitation of Prof. Li Xinfeng, Standing Vice President of China-African Institute and Director of Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, CASS.
China-African Institute was established as the first move of the "People-to-People Exchange Initiative" among the "Eight Major Initiatives" for China-Africa cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping at the opening speech of Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on September 3, 2018. CASS is the sponsor of the China-African Institute.
Mr. Li Xinfeng introduced to President Tao Yitao in detail the establishment background, "Four Functions", "Three Forums", key research fields and academic research achievements of the China-African Institute. At present, the China-African Institute and the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, CASS are sister institutions, both covering 54 countries in Africa and 17 countries in the Middle East. The Three Forums of the China-African Institute include "Africa Forum", "China Forum" and "Ambassador Forum", which aim to invite the most professional people to tell the most practical and professional stories, strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and pave the way for common cooperation. The China-African Institute has also published a series of reports including "China-Africa Friendship and Cooperation Reports", "China-Africa Poverty Alleviation Reports", "China-Africa Research Yearbook", "Research Series", "Concise Translation Series", and "Special Topics".
President Tao Yitao introduced to the participants of the China-African Institute the establishment background of BRRI, various activities of BRRI in "Spreading China's Solutions to Developing Countries Around the World", branches of BRRI around the world, and 20 years' experience in holding World Special Economic Zone (Shenzhen) Forum, as well as research achievements of BRRI in the fields of Belt and Road Research, China Special Economic Zones (SEZ), SEZ Development Reports, and Bluebook of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. President Tao Yitao also introduced the experience in helping Chinese enterprises go abroad by providing consulting services for them jointly with think tanks, government agencies and embassies of the destination countries. She additionally introduced the experience of BRRI in building a new type of think tank with global influence to serve the national "Belt and Road” initiative through international People-to-People Diplomacy and global research relying on universities and colleges, national authoritative think tanks, and the national Belt and Road initiative.
 
 
President Li Xinfeng suggested strengthening the multifaceted cooperation between China-African Institute and BRRI in research and international exchanges in 71 countries in the Middle East and Africa and telling China's stories well to these countries and the world. He also proposed to regularly hold "China-Africa Forum" in Shenzhen with BRRI to spread the development experience of China, Shenzhen in particular.
 
President Tao Yitao expressed that BRRI would be willing to work with the China-African Institute to establish a spreading platform and communication mechanism. Relying on years of experience accumulated by Shenzhen and BRRI, BRRI would be willing to jointly conduct civil service training, planning and establishment of special economic zones and development zones for African and Middle Eastern countries, regularly invite diplomats from Africa and the Middle East to visit Shenzhen and BRRI, help China provide various forms of support to countries along the Belt and Road in Africa and the Middle East, and share China's experience in reform and opening-up and the construction of special economic zones.
The two parties decided to jointly hold a forum in Shenzhen in mid to late November to tell China's development road and stories to 54 African countries.
 
 
III. President Tao Yitao Visited Bureau of International Cooperation, CASS
On the morning of October 27, 2020, President Tao Yitao and her delegation were invited to visit the Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) at Jianguomennei Street, Beijing, and had a fruitful discussion with Director-general Wang Lei, Deputy Director-general Liao Fan, Deputy Director Liu Quanping, and Secretary Li Yifan.
President Tao Yitao first introduced the establishment background, originators, history, past events, branches around the world, and academic research activities of BRRI. She also introduced the achievements in “Spreading Development Experience of China’s Special Economic Zones, Providing China’s Solutions, and Introducing China’s Development Model to the World”, as well as BRRI’s 20 years' experience in holding World Special Economic Zone (Shenzhen) Forum.
Director-general Wang Lei introduced in detail the special status and role of CASS in the research and practice of the Belt and Road Initiative. He also proposed cooperation with Shenzhen and BRRI. He pointed out that, in today's global context, it would be necessary to better tell China’s stories to build confidence in China's partner countries, fight against all types of smears, and spread China’s development experience abroad with academic diplomacy. There would be enormous demands from overseas countries for the planning and establishment of special economic zones and development zones, and industrial policies. It was not practical to succeed in planning ahead or in one go for cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road. Only by considering local reality and lend help in their growth in a pragmatic manner can be better practice the concept of win-win cooperation. Therefore, it would be an opportunity for BRRI to leverage its unique competitive edges in these aspects.
Director-general Wang Lei and President Tao Yitao expressed that the two parties could jointly create high-caliber global forums (ambassador forums, country-by-country forums, industry forums, etc.), develop research topics (country-by-country risk assessment, People-to-People exchanges, social responsibility, ecologically sustainable development, Belt and Road construction, debt traps and other sensitive issues of concern to developing countries), provide education and training for civil servants and other people from countries along the Belt and Road, regularly organize thematic seminars, and conduct various forms of research.
The two parties decided to jointly establish a communication and cooperation mechanism to strengthen mutual trust and better play a more effective role in comprehensive promotion of China's Belt and Road strategy!
 
The visit to Beijing expanded the channels of cooperation with high-end academic think tanks in and outside of China, deepened mutual understanding, and reached consensus on many matters. The parties would work together to create new forms and paths for the smooth implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, practice the open development concept of "A Single Flower Does not Make a Spring” proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and create world opportunities for China and China opportunities for the world with the power of culture and academia!