Friday, July 9, 2021

On July 5, 2021, Mr. YI Xiaozhun, former Deputy Director-General of the WTO, and Mr. HONG Xiaodong from China Society for World Trade Organization Studies paid a visit to Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (SUIBE). SUIBE President Prof. WANG Rongming and SUIBE Vice Chair of Executive Board  Prof. XU Mei had a meeting with the guests. Prof. ZHANG Lei, Dean of the WTO Chair Institute-China and Prof. YING Pinguang, Deputy Dean of the School of Trade Negotiations attended the meeting.
Mr. Yi introduced the initiative of building the “Global Economic and Trade Governance Research Network” and hoped that SUIBE will give full play to its advantages and functions in building the network. He pointed out the three major events that will happen in the WTO this year: firstly, this year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the WTO; secondly, the WTO will conduct its review of China’s trade policies; thirdly, the WTO will host the 12th Ministerial Conference. At this critical moment, Mr. YI put forward several expectations to SUIBE: firstly, to make full use of SUIBE’s international platforms such as the WTO Chair Programme and the WTO Regional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) training events etc., and to make great efforts to improve China’s international communication capacity in order to better tell the Chinese stories and strengthen China's voice in the international arena; secondly, to raise the research level of SUIBE to a new height by taking the initiative to meet the research needs of the Ministry of Commerce and the diplomatic missions abroad, actively offering suggestions for the national economic and trade undertakings; thirdly, to provide regional services in Asia for international organizations relying on the WTO Chair Programme and to create favourable conditions for the preparation of the Office for Asia and the Pacific based on Shanghai.  
Mr. Hong Xiaodong believed that the establishment of the “Global Economic and Trade Governance Research Network” is timely, which can promote the construction of China’s high-end think tank network in the field of trade and investment policy, and can provide theoretical support and advices to decision-makers for the WTO reform and China’s participation in international economic and trade governance. He hoped that SUIBE can participate in the integration of the strongest research resources in China and apply the research results to international negotiations.
SUIBE President Wang Rongming replied that the University will give the full play to the advantage of the long-term research in the field of the WTO, to set up “Global Economic and Trade Governance Research Network (SUIBE Institute)” and to actively meet requirements to national development. SUIBE will gather nationwide research power especially the power from the Yangtze River Delta region to provide decision-makers with high quality policy proposals and decision-making consultations under the principle of openness, joint research and mobility contest.
Prof. Xu Mei sincerely invited Mr. Yi Xiaozhun to provide consultation and guidance for SUIBE to carry out related works, and then made a report on the development of the University's program on talent training program for international organizations. Prof. Zhang Lei added some details of the establishment of the “Global Economic and Trade Governance Research Network (SUIBE Institute)”.
Additionally, Mr. Yi and Mr. Hong gave a lecture on the “Outlook of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference” for SUIBE faculty members and researchers and exchanged ideas with the participants.
Mr. Yi Xiaozhun has praised SUIBE for the positive and important role played as a WTO Chair and Prof. Zhang Lei as a distinguished professor in helping developing countries to participate in the multilateral trading system for many times. At present, SUIBE is actively exploring a new model for training talents for international organizations, relying on such high-end platforms as WTO Chair, WTO Regional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) training events and “Innovation and Practice Programme for the cultivation of Globally Competitive Talents” launched by the Ministry of Education, etc.