On Oct. 21, more than 100 government officials, think tank leaders, experts, scholars, industry representatives, and journalists from China, Croatia, Poland, Hungary, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, and other countries gathered in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, for the 11th Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) High-Level Think Tank Symposium. Co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and the CEEC at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the symposium was themed “A World at a Crossroads: Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries.”

In his opening speech, Zhao Zhimin, secretary-general of CASS, noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. Over the past half-century, China-Europe relations have demonstrated strong resilience in the face of challenges. As an integral part of Europe, the CEEC have been active drivers of these ties. In particular, since the launch of the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism in 2012, the two sides have achieved notable results in high-level exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, infrastructure connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges, contributing to the stability and prosperity of Europe and the wider world.

Former Croatian President Ivo Josipović observed that since the mechanism’s inception in 2012, the two sides have pursued a series of connectivity, economic, and investment collaborations, serving as a valuable complement to the Belt and Road Initiative. Mutually beneficial cooperation between Croatia and China has also steadily deepened. The Pelješac Bridge, constructed by a Chinese enterprise, has significantly boosted Croatia’s tourism, transportation, and logistics sectors while showcasing to the world the exceptional speed and prowess of Chinese engineering.

Former Romanian President Emil Constantinescu underscored that Romania and China share a long history of exchanges and friendship. As the third country to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC, Romania has long adhered to principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, delivering tangible gains to both peoples. He highlighted the unique role of people-to-people and cultural exchanges in strengthening bilateral ties.

Chen Guoyou, special representative for cooperation between China and the CEEC at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, elaborated that over the past 13 years, the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism has developed steadily and yielded fruitful results thanks to the joint efforts of all involved parties. It has advanced China-CEEC partnerships and broader China-Europe relations, offering valuable insights for international cross-regional and cross-civilizational cooperation and exchanges. Against the backdrop of accelerating global changes unseen in a century, President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) offers a Chinese approach to strengthening and improving global governance.

Feng Zhongping, director-general of the Institute of European Studies at CASS, noted that the world is undergoing significant transformations, and no single country can tackle such global challenges alone. In response to the deficits in peace, development, security, and governance, President Xi proposed four major global initiatives—the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and the GGI—which address global challenges in different domains and point the way toward constructive, balanced development. Both China and Europe advocate multilateralism, uphold the UN-centered international system, and are committed to advancing multipolarization and economic globalization.

The symposium was co-organized by the Institute of European Studies at CASS, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Croatia, and the Zagreb School of Economics and Management, with support from the China-CEE Institute and the China-CEEC Think Tanks Network, both under CASS.