The 2023 “Understanding China” International Conference (“the Conference”), hosted by China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy (“CIIDS”), is set to take place in Guangzhou from December 1 to 3. The conference, themed “China’s New Endeavors Amid Unprecedented Global Changes—Expanding the Convergence of Interests and Building a Community of Shared Future”, will bring together renowned politicians, strategists, scholars, entrepreneurs, foreign diplomats in China, representatives of international organizations and multinational companies in China to engage in dialogue with Chinese government officials, scholars, and entrepreneurs.
The conference plans a series of activities to promote communication, including short video collections and exhibitions, keynote speeches, and telling Chinese stories in English, while also releasing a series of documentaries that depict the modern image of China.
The short video collection and exhibition, “China in the Eyes of the Young —Chinese and Foreign Short Videos Screening and Award Ceremony”, aims at gathering superior resources from overseas and promoting the initiative and enthusiasm of global youth in focusing on and telling Chinese stories. The event invites young creative teams, major universities, and individuals to collect excellent short video works with a global vision.
During the conference, CIIDS will partner with China Global Television Network (CGTN) to co-host a special event where distinguished guests from different backgrounds share their stories on how to understand China, each from their own perspective. They included Yves Leterme, former Belgian Prime Minister; Moon Chung-in, chairman of Sejong Institute in South Korea; Martin Jacques, renowned China expert; Mushahid Hussain Syed, chairman of the Defense Committee of the Pakistani Senate; Wang Jian, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering;Â and Vikram Channa, vice president of Content at Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific.
The Stories of China Retold in English Challenge is gearing up for another round. This event provides a platform for young people to promote Chinese culture through English recitation, creative speeches, dramatic monologues, or showcasing Chinese talents. Since 2020, the initiative has drawn over 300,000 young people from around the globe.
An Exchange On China, jointly launched by CIIDS and Discovery Channel, is a six-episode series designed to provide the international community with a better understanding of China in the new era.