The Tongzhou Global Development Forum 2025 is opened on October 17 in Beijing, gathering over 500 international guests to discuss coexistence in harmony and the foundations of global development. [Photo/ruc.edu.cn]

The Tongzhou Global Development Forum 2025 opened on October 17 in Beijing's Tongzhou Canal Business District, bringing together more than 500 distinguished guests from around the world to explore the theme "Coexistence in Harmony: The Foundation and Order of Global Development." Participants discussed how to build a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable global order through dialogue and cooperation.

This year's forum, hosted by Renmin University of China (RUC) and co-organized with the People's Government of Tongzhou District, aimed to strengthen trust as the cornerstone of global development, foster a just and cooperative international system and promote shared prosperity. The event received special support from Ye Chenghai, an RUC alumnus from the Class of 1963 at the School of International Studies and founder of Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd.

From October 16 to 17, the opening and welcoming ceremonies gathered representatives from the Chinese central and municipal governments, academia, business and international organizations. Over 500 participants, including diplomats, scholars and media representatives, attended the forum's activities and discussions.

A major highlight of the event was the release of the report Comprehensive Development Goals: A Human Society Development Strategy toward 2050, published in Chinese, English, French, Russian, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese. The report traces the evolution of global development concepts and provides an in-depth exposition of the Comprehensive Development Goals (CDGs) framework. It outlines five strategic pillars: placing people at the center of development; ensuring green development as the boundary of progress; promoting inclusiveness and cooperation as guiding principles; enhancing governance effectiveness as institutional support; and improving scientific evaluation as a measurement standard.

The report also identifies eight priority areas for global action, including poverty eradication and rural vitalization, food security and agricultural modernization, industrial diversification, digital economy and AI development, green transition and climate action, public health cooperation, education and human resource development and financial support and development financing. It calls for greater international consensus and the integration of CDGs into national medium- and long-term development plans to advance global initiatives and deepen the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Participants exchange views at the roundtable themed on "Humanity 2050: Promoting the Comprehensive Development of People and Society." [Photo/ruc.edu.cn]

At a roundtable themed "Humanity 2050: Promoting the Comprehensive Development of People and Society," participants exchanged views on the major challenges confronting human development, the evolution of development thought, innovations needed for new development paradigms and ways to foster global consensus on the CDGs.

From October 17 to 18, the forum also held 15 parallel sessions addressing pressing global topics such as artificial intelligence and global development, Belt and Road cooperation, energy and food security, financial innovation, youth and sustainable governance and cross-cultural communication. The closing session on October 18 included a diplomats' roundtable on promoting comprehensive human and social development from the perspectives of the Global South, as well as the final presentation of winning teams from the inaugural Global Development Public Policy Youth Innovation Contest.

The Tongzhou Global Development Forum, China's first international forum dedicated to global development and a concrete platform for implementing the Global Development Initiative, was launched by RUC in 2023 and serves as a high-level dialogue platform connecting political, academic and business leaders worldwide. Guided by the vision of focusing on global development and caring for humanity's future, the forum provides theoretical insights and intellectual support for China's engagement in global development and contributes to the shared pursuit of a better future for all.

The Tongzhou Global Development Forum 2025 is held from October 16 to 18, gathering over 500 international guests to discuss coexistence in harmony and the foundations of global development. [Photo/ruc.edu.cn]