On April 26, Yue Yucheng, former Vice Foreign Minister and former Vice Minister of the National Radio and Television Administration, delivered a lecture at Hehe Academy. Prior to the lecture, President Wei Jiang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, met with Yue Yucheng for a cordial exchange on how universities can better serve national development strategies, advance opening-up, and support private enterprises in going global.Deputy Director delivered the lecture themed “International Changes and International Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative”.
Vice President Zheng Yali presided over the event. The event was attended by over 200 participants, including Yang Jianjun, Chairman of Zhejiang Shenniu Machinery Manufacture Co., Ltd., heads of the International Office, School of Wenhua Innovation, School of Economics, and School of International Education and Studies, as well as faculty, students, and parent representatives from the Iron Triangle projects of the School of Wenhua Innovation and the School of Economics.
Drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience and policy research, Yue Yucheng provided a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the great changes unseen in a century, China-US relations, China-Europe relations, and BRI cooperation. He offered profound insights into the opportunities and challenges presented by the reshaping of the global landscape, helping faculty and students deepen their sense of national identity, broaden their international horizons, and appreciate the significance and global impact of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.
Yue Yucheng noted that the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has provided a practical platform to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past decade or more, BRI partners now span all six continents. Landmark projects such as the China-Europe Railway Express, the China-Laos Railway, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, and the Gwadar Port have brought tangible benefits to people in many partner countries. China has become the largest trading partner for over 120 countries and regions.
During the Q&A session, students raised questions on career development under the BRI framework, multilateral trading systems versus unilateralism, and responses to global economic downturns. Drawing on his professional experience, Yue Yucheng addressed their questions with rich and detailed case studies. He encouraged students to build up their expertise in international economic and trade rules, international arbitration, and foreign-related law, while maintaining curiosity and integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data with traditional liberal arts education. He left the students with these words: “Thinking is power. Don’t just bury yourselves in books— look up at the stars.”
After the lecture, Vice President Zheng Yali accompanied Yue Yucheng on an inspection tour of ZUFE Xiasha Campus, where he viewed the campus environment and facilities and visited the School of International Education and Studies, the Institute for Central Asia Studies, ZUFE, and Wenhua Academy. Recalling his tenure as Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Yue Yucheng offered guidance and recommendations on the future development of the Institute for Central Asia Studies, ZUFE in areas such as talent cultivation, Country and Region Studies, and social cooperation.
Hehe Hehe Academy is ZUFE’s flagship international education brand. By inviting renowned scholars and experts at home and abroad, senior diplomats, representatives of enterprises going global, and overseas Chinese compatriots, it provides strong support for cultivating MAQ-oriented exemplary ZUFE students with a strong sense of national identity, an international vision, sound ethics, competence and overall caliber.
(Editor: Che Peng)
