From June 26th to 27th, 2023, a delegation from the Center for China-Europe Relations (CCER) at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies made an official visit to the Institute for National and International Security (INIS) in Serbia. The visit's centerpiece was the international academic conference titled China-Central and Eastern Europe: Cooperation and Challenges convened in Belgrade, Serbia's capital.

（Group Photo）

The delegation, headed by the CCER's Deputy Director, Jian Junbo, comprised several scholars such as Zhang Jiadong, the director of Fudan University's South Asia Research Center, along with Ph.D. students Fei Zhengjian from the University of Belgrade's Law School and Fang Jiongsheng from Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs.

(Jian Junbo Presided Over The Opening Ceremony And Delivered A Keynote Speech)

The opening ceremony on June 26th was jointly presided over by Deputy Director Jian Junbo and INIS Director Darko Trifunović. Attendees included Jahja Fehratović, the chairman of Serbia's Science and Higher Education Committee, and Wang Zhen, the deputy dean of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Both delivered speeches emphasizing the importance of the conference and their aspirations for China's collaborations with Serbia and Central and Eastern Europe. Moreover, INIS honored Dr. Jian Junbo and Prof. Zhang Jiadong with the Research Gold Award in Security Science for their pivotal contributions to the domain of international security research.

(INIS Honored Dr. Jian Junbo And Prof. Zhang Jiadong With The Research Gold Award)

Throughout June 26th, the conference facilitated rich discussions among scholars from various countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Cyprus. Key subjects of deliberation ranged from the cooperative mechanisms between China and Central and Eastern European countries to global strategies towards the region, including trade, education, and regional security challenges. The conference garnered substantial media coverage, reflecting its significance.

(Photo at the Conference Venue)

(Widespread Media Coverage of the Conference)

On June 27th, a more intimate dialogue took place between the delegation and Director Trifunović, along with other scholars. This discussion centered around potential future academic collaborations. Additionally, in a gesture of respect, the delegation visited the former site of the Chinese Embassy in the ex-Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to commemorate the three individuals lost during the NATO bombing incident, laying flowers in their memory.

(The delegation paid respects to the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the NATO bombing of our embassy in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.)

This conference stands as a testament to the strengthening of academic ties and understanding between Fudan University and the broader Central and Eastern European region, further deepening the rapport between China and these European nations.