Belt and Road Energy Cooperation Think Tank Forum was successfully held.

From May 24th to 25th, the third Belt and Road Energy Partnership Cooperation Think Tank Forum, hosted by the National Energy Administration and undertaken by the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, was held in Xiamen, Fujian Province, under the theme of "Towards High-Quality Development of Energy". Political leaders, energy ministers, ambassadors and senior officials from 16 countries and regions, leaders of energy international organizations and high-level representatives, leaders of energy companies and university think tanks, jointly participated in the meeting and conducted extensive exchanges on important topics, including strengthening high-quality Belt and Road energy cooperation, jointly addressing common challenges in energy development. During the meeting, a broad consensus was reached, which would lay the foundation for subsequent practical cooperation.

On May 25th, Belt and Road Energy Cooperation Think Tank Forum, co-organized by 28 domestic and foreign think tanks and research institutions, was held under the guidance of the International Cooperation Department of the National Energy Administration and jointly hosted by the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China and the CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute. Over 150 experts, scholars and industry representatives from 28 domestic and foreign think tanks and research institutions participated in the forum. 17 domestic and foreign think tanks jointly launched the Belt and Road Energy Cooperation Think Tank Joint Action Initiative.

The forum, themed Towards the Common Future: the Energy Silk Road Built and Wisdom Shared by All Partners, is an important part of the third Belt and Road Energy Partnership Cooperation Forum.

Wang Yi, Vice President of Renmin University of China, congratulated the convening of the third Belt and Road Energy Partnership Cooperation Forum and various sub-forums on behalf of the university. He pointed out that in the great changes of China’s new era of ten years, energy development has achieved great achievements that are visible to the whole world. Energy security has been effectively guaranteed, energy infrastructure construction has achieved remarkable achievements, new energy technology has achieved significant results, and China has entered the ranks of innovative countries. China has achieved fruitful results in implementing the idea of energy security, resilience and accessibility. Energy cooperation is a pioneering industry and an important engine for the construction of the Belt and Road, and a win-win move for countries along the route. The Belt and Road initiative has created a historic opportunity to deepen energy cooperation between China and countries along the route. He emphasized that General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly proposed in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to accelerate the green transformation of the development mode and actively and prudently promote carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, which has put forward research directions and work missions for think tanks.

An Fengquan, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of the National Energy Administration, stated in his speech that think tank cooperation is a booster for deepening and stabilizing high-quality energy cooperation. We should fully leverage the innovative role of intelligence, lead and support the high-quality development of Belt and Road energy cooperation with high-quality innovation, fully play the supporting role of think tanks in communication, promote effective communication and exchange among domestic and foreign industries, academia, research, politics, and finance, and achieve bi-directional linkage between supply and demand of intellectual products. We should continuously strengthen the capacity building of think tanks, cultivate high-level expert teams, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation among think tanks.

Zhang Hualin, General Manager Assistant of the China National Petroleum Corporation, Director of CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute, stated that think tanks are an important symbol of a country’s soft power and competitiveness. Through cooperation between domestic and foreign think tanks, we hope to build a platform for information sharing, resource sharing, and results sharing, drive personnel interaction through think tank interaction, promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding, and enhance people-to-people connectivity and international mutual trust. We hope that think tanks of all countries can conduct joint research on strategic, forward-looking, reserve energy issues, and make positive contributions to scientific decision-making by governments and value enhancement of energy companies.

Interpreter: Zhou Shiyan

Proofreader: Pan Yuxi