Renmin University of China Shenzhen Forum on “Opening Up and Development” Successfully Held

On the afternoon of December 29, the thematic forum “Opening Up and Development” was successfully held in Shenzhen. This event is one of the thematic forums of the 2024 Renmin University of China Shenzhen Forum series, co-hosted by the National Academy of Development and Strategy (NADS) and the Shenzhen Research Institute of Renmin University of China. The forum, themed “China’s High-Level Opening-Up Policy Innovation and National Development”, was chaired by Liu Qing, Executive Dean of NADS.

Zheng Hanqian, a postdoctoral researcher at NADS, presented the report titled China’s High-Level Opening-Up Policy Innovation and National Development on behalf of the research team. The report systematically reviewed China’s achievements in opening up, summarized the key characteristics and policy innovation experiences of high-level opening-up, and offered recommendations for future strategies in light of current domestic and international trends. The report highlighted that, despite the intensifying backlash against globalization, China has steadfastly adhered to the fundamental national policy of opening up. A series of high-level policy innovations have been implemented, notably in four areas: advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting the construction of pilot free trade zones, fostering institutional openness, and shaping the “dual circulation” development framework.

Yin Heng, Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of NADS, chaired the keynote speeches by experts. The attending experts engaged in in-depth discussions on challenges and countermeasures related to advancing China’s high-level opening-up.

As the frontier of reform and opening up, Shenzhen has always borne the mission of serving as a “bridgehead of openness”. Held on the fourth anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the forum holds special and significant meaning. It focused on the core value and far-reaching impact of China’s policy innovations in opening up within the context of national development and global economic integration. The forum aimed to establish a platform for high-level dialogue and intellectual exchange, exploring strategic pathways and measures for advancing China’s high-level opening-up in the new era alongside experts in the field.

(Translated by ZHANG Yuqing; Proofread by YANG Fanxin)