Understanding China Conference 2020 (Guangzhou), co-hosted by the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy(CIIDS), the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the 21st Century Council, and organized by the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, was successfully held from November 20 to 22 in Guangzhou. On Nov. 20, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the conference. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committeeand head of the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee, read out President Xi’s congratulatory letter and delivered openingkeynote speech via video link at the opening ceremony. Li Xi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Secretary of CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, attended the conference and deliveredopeningremarks. Wang Chao, President of the CPIFA, attended the conference, delivered welcome and closing remarks and spoke at the parallel session on “Economic Globalization and Regionalization”. Li Huilai, Vice President of CPIFA,attended the conference and spoke at the sessions on “Non-traditional Security Threats and Global Governance Reform” and “Challenges and Building of Post COVID-19 World Order”.

About 600 renowned guests from political, business and academic circles all over the world participatedin the conference online and offline. Among them, there are politicians, strategists, scholars, entrepreneurs from America, Russia, Europe,countries surrounding China and developing countries, including Ernesto Zedillo, former President of Mexico and Chairman of the 21st Century Council, Wolfgang Schäuble, President of the German Parliament, Megawati Soekarno Putri, former President of Indonesia, Rosen Plevneliev, former President of Bulgaria, Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, Yves Leterm, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Gordon Brown, former Primer Minister of the United Kingdom, Yohei Kono, former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan and President of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Alexei Kudrin, former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and Minister of Finance and current Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of Russia, Pascal Lamy, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Vladimir Norov, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Besides,some foreign diplomats and representatives from international organizations and transnational corporationsand some leading members from Chinese ministries, commissions and local governmentsalso participated in the conference.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Huge Shake-up, Big Test, Great Cooperation: China’s New March toward Modernization and Community of a Shared Future for Humanity”. Besides keynote speeches, there are also 12 sessions around the themes of“New Infrastructure, New Manufacturing: New Growth Drivers and China’s Quality Economic Development”, “China’s Financial Challenges and Opportunities under the Dual-Cycle Development Strategy”, “China’s High Level Opening-up and Opportunities for Multinational Companies”, “Urban Regeneration and Governance Innovation”, “Internet and Charming China and Healthy China Initiative”, “Economic Globalization and Regionalization”, “Technological Innovation and International Cooperation”, “Non-traditional Security Threats and Global Governance Reform”, “Cultural Identity and Dialogue of Civilizations in the New Round of Economic Globalization”, “Life and Health Education Innovation amid COVID-19”, “Climate Action: China-U.S. Sub-national Cooperation” and “Challenges and Building of Post COVID-19 World Order”.