Have good academic exchanges and tell good Chinese stories

[Author] JIA Qingguo. Director of the Executive Committee of iGCU, Former Dean and Professor of School of International studies in Peking University.

President Xi once said that openness brings progress while seclusion leads to backwardness. Since the reform and opening up, foreign exchanges have been an important channel for us to learn advanced concepts, research methods and governance experience from foreign countries, as well as an important reason for China's development and progress. Among them, experts and scholars have strengthened academic exchanges with foreign countries, which is also an important aspect. In recent years, out of some considerations, some departments strengthened the management of foreign exchange for experts and scholars, such as holding back the power of certificate investigation and approval of international conferences, leveling up approval requirements for experts and scholars to attend the international conference, enlarging the scope of experts and scholars of foreign exchange for examination and approval, raising the threshold of the experts and scholars of foreign exchange and cost. These practices have greatly stepped up the difficulty for experts and scholars to communicate with other countries.

International relations are complex and changeable. A timely, comprehensive and objective understanding of international relations is the basis for us to formulate reasonable foreign policies. This is especially true in the context that China's interests are increasingly going global and its national interests need to be safeguarded by maintaining the international order and participating in global governance. Only by maintaining necessary exchanges and contacts with foreign countries can experts and scholars have a timely, comprehensive and objective understanding of situations outside China and provide reasonable suggestions for the formulation of foreign policies.

At the same time, international conferences and exchanges are important platforms and channels for our experts and scholars to publicize and explain China's policies and practices, tell good China's stories, and help the world better understand China. We should encourage more experts and scholars to be involved in exchanges with other countries.

I think that relevant departments can give more flexibility to the power of examining and approving international conferences, and let apartments decide for themselves based on regulations and its own needs. Also, take effective measures to encourage exchanges, including encouraging scholars to hold international conferences, supporting foreign exchanges, providing necessary financial support for scholars to participate in exchanges, so as to make it easier and more effective for the Chinese people to spread their voices to the world.

Note: Originally from CPPCC DAILY