Speech on the Opening Ceremony of Vision 20: International Summit on Global Governance’s New Frontiers
Mar 31, 2016
WU Zhaohui, President, Zhejiang University
Dear distinguished guests,
It is indeed a great honor for Zhejiang University to host this high-level summit on the G20 with esteemed partners from all around the world. I wish this would be one of the milestones during the year of China’s Presidency of the G20.
Firstly, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our world partners: the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto.
I’d also like to thank all of our guests home and abroad for your strong support to this summit, particularly Mr. Pascal Lamy, former Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO), Mme Cindy Termorshuizen, Deputy Head of Mission of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, Dr. Justin Yifu Lin, former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank, Prof. Lan Xue, Dean of School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University.
This year’s G20 summit will take place in early September, with its theme as “Building a world economy with innovation, vitality, linkage and inclusiveness”. This will be a crucial moment in China’s engagement with the international system and with the global economy. We are particularly proud that the first G20 summit hosted by China will take place in Hangzhou, an ancient city famous for its natural beauty and cultural heritages. We are also proud that the first meeting of the Vision 20 network takes place at Zhejiang University. The very place which has been devoted to China and the world’s growth will continue to generate new ideas to support win-win cooperation and the global public goods, by offering a platform for quality exchange and long-term thinking.
“Global governance”, the theme of this summit, is very significant and meaningful especially for today’s world. Here I’d like to make three points on this. Firstly, global governance requires concerted efforts which cross the borders and the disciplines. As is well known, global governance was put forward in compliance with the trend of world multi-polarization, aiming at co-managing global political affairs. The theory derives from globalization and complication of the issues human beings are faced with and demands relentless world efforts. Secondly, global governance should adapt to the revolution of Internet technology. The growth of Internet technology has brought to us new opportunities and challenges. It will transform the way of social organization, turning traditional government into a modern one which is able to fit in with the virtual, globalized and knowledge-based information society. It will economize and reduce the cost of international communication and service, improving the efficiency of cross-border integration of resource and knowledge. It will also open up new channels for the public to take part in the international politics, promoting the openness and democracy of global governance. To adapt to the new trends and to embrace the new challenges are becoming the important prerequisite for global governance to become reality. Thirdly, global governance should take full account of the difference of civilizations and the diversity of cultures. In the context of an interconnected world, the cultural differences and interest conflicts among nations and groups have appeared more noticeably. How to realize the co-existence and co-prosperity for different civilizations in the process of global governance by big data analysis and by balancing different interests, will become another major task which calls for our concerted and unremitting efforts—from different nations and different disciplines.
As you may know, founded in 1897, Zhejiang University was initially known as “Qiushi Academy”, one of the earliest modern academies of higher learning established in China. As one of the top universities in China, Zhejiang University has achieved a great deal in a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, environmental science, public policy and mechanics, and built up strength respectively.
In recent years, the University has maintained a leading position in China in output indicators including publications, patents and etc. Zhejiang University is striving to build itself into an innovative comprehensive research university with a world-class status, will continue its efforts in developing both education and research to meet the needs of national and regional strategy and solving international cutting-edge issues, and will further strengthen the productive relationship with our international partners.
Finally，I wish Vision 20 a great success. I wish our distinguished guests a pleasant stay in Hangzhou. Thank you.