The School of International Studies Hosted the Sub

“Nanjing Forum 2021” was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province on December 11 and 12, 2021, with the theme of “Global Responsibility, Shared future - Global Concern, Opportunity and Solution”. Co-hosted by Nanjing University and Chey Institute for Advanced Studies (CIAS), the forum aims to strengthen solidarity among East Asian society in the post-pandemic era, to explore new mechanisms and solutions for cooperation from multiple disciplines and perspectives under the framework of the Asia-Pacific community of shared future and global development, and to contribute more academic insights, theoretical foresight and decision-making support to the proposition of the times, and it has attracted scholars and guests from universities, governments, enterprises, media and other institutions at home and abroad, such as the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore. Lv Jian, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of Nanjing University, Chang Shengmei, Deputy Director of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Chey Tae-won, Chairman and CEO of SK Group, Su Xingfang, Deputy Secretary-General of Nanjing Municipal Committee of the CPC and other officials attended the opening ceremony. Nanjing Forum 2021 was made up of five roundtables which focused on different topics including “Historical Civilization and Cultural Innovation in East Asia”, “Environment, Society and Governance”, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Global Governance”, “Digital Humanities and Exploration of New Liberal Arts”, and “Cross Cultural Communication from the Perspective of Global Change”. Among them, the sub-forum concerning international relations, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Global Governance”, was hosted by the School of International Studies, Nanning University.

At the opening ceremony, Wu Baiyi, former director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and senior researcher at the Huazhi Institute for Global Governance of Nanjing University, delivered a keynote speech titled “Casting a Cold Eye on Chaos and Grasping the Overall Situation”. He analyzed the five major global systemic risks that were mounting sharply, and pointed out that the world has entered a period of turbulence and change, and also a period of high risk. He also proposed a plan for China to respond to the global risks, that is, to maintain strategic focus, and take the initiative to tackle external challenges in a targeted way.

The first seminar of the sub-forum, “Scientific and Technological Progress and New Trends in Global Governance” started on the afternoon of December 11. Entrusted by Executive Dean Zhu Feng, Mao Weizhun, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Affairs, presided over the seminar. On the meeting, Gu Qingyang of the National University of Singapore suggested that COVID-19 could become a driving force for a new round of globalization due to the rapid development of digital trade and finance, through it had hindered people-to-people exchanges. Zhu Jiejin of Fudan University classified the path to global governance reform in emerging areas into four categories: substitutional, superimposed, conversional and evasive paths, and pointed out that China should flexibly adopt different strategies in different emerging areas. Li Chen of Renmin University of China demonstrated with rich examples and historical facts that warfare technology could contribute to victory at the operational level, but it was not necessarily a suppression at the strategic level, nor could it be a decisive factor in the great-power war. Lim Eun-jung of Kongju National University in South Korea indicated that South Korea must ensure sufficient investment in research and strict risk control to avoid being left out of the global competition, and this was also a factor that should be taken into account in foreign policy. Lei Shaohua of Peking University pointed out that the new international system would be based on geo-economics but not on geopolitics, and it would be built by high-tech conglomerates. From the perspective of multidimensional view of power, Fang Tingting of Nanjing University argued that whoever dominated the next energy transition would dominate the future direction of the international order. Ma Bo of Nanjing University, focusing on the science and technology war in the strategic competition between China and the United States, suggested that China must uphold “pacifism” and “internationalism” in response to the new round of American hi-tech containment. Wang Wanlu of Nanjing University, focusing on the Antarctic governance, pointed out that China must follow the paths of demilitarization and denuclearization of Antarctica when participating in Antarctic security governance.

The second seminar of the sub-forum, “New Issues of Great Power Competition and Global Governance”, was held on the morning of December 12. Yao Yuan, Deputy Dean of the School of International Studies, Nanjing University, and Zhao Guangrui, Director of the Department of International Politics, presided over the seminar. On the seminar, Zhao Quansheng of American University proposed that the decline of American leadership might lead to a “power vacuum” in terms of the change of global order. He also stressed that China should attach importance to Asian experience and Asian ways in its rise in Asia, and should build strategic trust with other countries. Li Bin of Tsinghua University pointed out that military AI competition was not “winner-takes-all” and its intensity depended on the technology component. China should not worry too much about first-mover advantage but maintain strategic focus on emerging technologies. Fan Jishe of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee analyzed the challenges and countermeasures of global nuclear governance, and stated that major powers should take more responsibilities in global nuclear governance. Wu Riqiang of Renmin University of China pointed out that the key to the strategic stability of Sino-US relations lied in China’s capability of maintaining sufficient nuclear retaliation, and the current important issue was how to manage the emerging confrontation between China and the United States. Wei Zongyou of Fudan University stated that, Biden has further promoted the strategic competition with China, compared with the Trump administration. Going forward, the competition between China and the United States would be intensified, but not weakened, and key emerging technologies would become the core focus of the competition between the two powers. Zhao Gang of China Academy of Science and Technology for Development, focusing on the new trend and new challenges in global governance of science, technology and innovation, proposed that China should further exert the influence at the United Nations, unite with developing countries, and actively participate in global governance. Li Wei of Renmin University of China suggested that China must further improve its industrial, diplomatic and innovation capabilities, since GDP, as a measure of comprehensive national strength, had its own limitations, and the strategic industries including the aviation industry, were one of the core elements of comprehensive national strength.

Since 2015, the Department of International Politics of Nanjing University has participated in the initiation and construction of Nanjing Forum. It has hosted the important sub-forums of Nanjing Forum 2015, “Working Together for 21st Century Asia-Pacific Peace, Security and Prosperity” and of Nanjing Forum 2018, “Understanding and Dialogue - Building the Asia-Pacific Community of Shared Future”. As this is the first time for the School of International Studies of Nanjing University to organize the sub-forum of Nanjing Forum since its establishment, the School attaches great importance to it. In order to make sure the meeting goes smoothly, Executive Dean Zhu Feng has held several working meetings, and Professor Mao Weizhuan has organized a working group to efficiently promote the preparatory work. At the sub-forum, the attendees, focusing on the new opportunities and challenges brought by the fourth scientific and technological revolution to global governance, put forward their insights from multiple perspectives and expanded their understanding of major issues and frontier areas concerning global governance. Going forward, the School of International Studies of Nanjing University will remain dedicated to the country, pay close attention to global development, and continue to actively support the convening of the “Nanjing Forum”.