On the morning of May 15th 2019, Prof. Tao Yitao met with a group of 5 headed by Yang Zhimin, principal investigator of the Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in the conference room of the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR). Prof. Tao is the director of the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR), Shenzhen University (SZU), a key research base of humanities and social science under the Ministry of Education, president of the Belt and Road Research Institute of Shenzhen University and also president of the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation and Development (BRRIICD). Also attending the meeting were Prof. Yuan Yiming and Prof. Gao Xingming, deputy directors of the CCSEZR, director assistant and Li Fan, associate Prof. and assistant to director, Dr. Yun Wenjie, Dr. Miao Lu, Dr. Huang Yiheng, and Dr. Li Tong from the CCSEZR and associate Prof. Huang Leping from the School of Foreign Languages, SZU.
Prof. Tao Yitao extended a warm welcome to the group headed by Mr. Yang and gave a brief introduction of the CCSEZR. She pointed out that the CCSEZR is China’s sole academic institution focusing on Special Economic Zone (SEZ) issues among key research bases for humanities and social sciences under the Ministry of Education and has been committed to studying the SEZ issues for more than two decades. The CCSEZR has published the Annual Report on the Development of China's Special Economic Zones (Blue Book) for 12 consecutive years and founded the Studies on China's Special Economic Zones, the sole bilingual academic journal offering an authoritative study on SEZs in China. To date, the two books have been published and distributed outside China by Springer, a German publishing house. The CCSEZR also prides itself on an academic forum brand with certain clout in and outside of China, the "World Special Economic Zone Development Forum" which has been held in countries including Vietnam and the far east region of Russia 19 times in a row, and is slated to be held in Pakistan this year. Prof. Tao also gave a brief introduction of the BRRIICD, and the variety of projects carried out by the BRRIICD since its inception such as the establishment of the Belt and Road Scholarship and the Belt and Road Translation Committee.
Prof. Tao Yitao, director of the CCSEZR
Mr. Yang extended his gratitude for the cordial hospitality of Prof. Tao and expressed his admiration for CCSEZR’s achievements. He said that with several meetings in the past, he hoped today’s meeting with experts from CCSEZR will further exchanges and cooperation between two sides. After that, Mr. Yang gave a brief introduction of ILAS and its key research fields including the economy, politics, international relations, culture and social general theory of Latin America. The ILAS consists of six research offices including the Latin American Economic Research Office, Marxism and Latin American Political Research Office, International Relations Research Office, Latin American Cultural Study Office, Comprehensive Theory Research Office and Latin American Integrated Research Office.
Yang Zhimin, Chief Researcher of ILAS
In addition, Mr. Yang said the Belt and Road is an essential research focus for the regional cooperation research office as an increasing number of Latin American countries are joining the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Initiative is playing a significant role in building a community of shared future for China and Latin America. To date, 17 countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean have signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. Mr. Yang said Latin America is worth research in depth as it calls for exchanges following the boom of emerging economies and has a long history and friendly people. Following Mr. Yang’s introduction, the delegation asked questions regarding the feasibility of the establishment of China-Latin America university knowledge network collaboration research base, and regional integration of Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, which are answered by Prof. Yuan Yiming one by one.
At the end of the meeting, Prof. Tao invited ILAS to jointly write the Blue Book and the journal, and to conduct exchanges and cooperation in relevant fields with CCSEZR postdoctoral research station. The two sides reached consensus on the future exchanges and cooperation and concluded the meeting in a pleasant atmosphere.
Prof. Yuan Yiming, deputy director of the CCSEZR.
Prof. Gao Xingmin, deputy director of the CCSEZR.
A scene of the meeting.
Attendees pose for photo.
