Round-table Dialogue On-site

Advancing Global Development through Economic and Trade Cooperation, a critical component of the Second International Civil Society Solidarity Conference on the Global Development Initiative, was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Hohhot on September 11, 2025. Li Junkai, Secretary-General of the Zhongguancun Global High-level Think Tank Alliance (ZGCTA) and Director of the International and Regional Cooperation Center of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (BJAST), was invited and delivered a keynote speech at a round-table dialogue on “Empowering Green Development with Science and Technology”. She shared ZGCTA’s achievements and practices in connecting international resources and promoting the integration of science & technology, green development and trade with guests from around the world, in an attempt to inject momentum from think-tanks into global economic and trade cooperation in non-public sector.

The Second International Civil Society Solidarity Conference on the Global Development Initiative, organized by China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) and the People’s Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with the theme of “Building Global Consensus on Development and Sharing Opportunities for a Prosperous Future”, serves as a key platform for global civil society to implement the Global Development Initiative (GDI). The exchange on promoting development through economic and trade cooperation focused on pain points and opportunities of trade cooperation for civil society. A series of round-table discussions, aiming at building a bridge for precise connection between global partners, was attended by Chinese and foreign guests, including H.E. Ian Marshall, Ambassador of Grenada to China, and Cui Shuqiang, Vice President of CINE.

In her speech, Li Junkai noted that ZGCTA, since its establishment in 2020, continuously upheld the principles of openness, collaboration and sharing, bringing together think-tanks and resources from various fields, including science &technology, economics, law and media, in order to actively serve national development strategies and GDI. It has promoted the precise connection of China’s advanced technologies, such as new energy and intelligent manufacturing, with the global market by organizing high-level events such as ZGC Forum and ZGC International Technology Trade Fair. In the meanwhile, ZGCTA has collaborated with research institutions from countries such as Germany and Hungary for training and joint research on topics including digital governance, green and low-carbon development, facilitating Chinese science & technology to be further shared with the world in support of the SDGs.

Li emphasized that non-public organizations, boasting advantages of flexibility, responsiveness and adaptability to practical needs, are a vital force in promoting the implementation of GDI. Going forward, ZGCTA will continue to serve as a bridge and linkage, deepening collaboration with domestic and international think-tanks, research institutions and international organizations. It will step up its efforts to promote practical cooperation in science & technology, green development and digital technologies, sharing more wisdom and solutions to building an inclusive global economic governance system.

(Text/Photo by ZGCTA Secretariat Office)