During the visit, Zhang Donggang engaged in discussions with university chairmen including President Khalmuradov of Samarkand State University in Uzbekistan, President Enom Magidov of Mirza Gurube University, President Yerlan Stikov of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan, and President Elizan Adsida of Nazarbayev University on establishing an enhanced mechanism for people-to-people and cultural exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).
The two sides held frank and pragmatic talks aimed at fostering new collaborations between universities and shaping a brighter future. All universities prioritize high-quality co-construction of the BRI as their primary area of cooperation. They have reached numerous agreements regarding profound exchanges and future cooperation endeavors with the goal of achieving strategic alignment among research institutions along the Belt and Road Routes. Their collective efforts aim to promote high-level scientific research collaboration among universities along the Belt and Road Routes, thereby ushering in a new era for this Initiative's second decade.
During the visit, Zhang Donggang also participated in the launch ceremony of new books in the Kazakh and Uzbek editions of the first volume of the "Chinese Modernization Research Series". He also attended the high-quality China-Uzbekistan Academic Seminar on the 10th Anniversary of Jointly Building the BRI, as well as the 2023 Summit Forum on the Belt and Road Publishing Cooperation among Countries and First China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperation Forum. Additionally, he took part in the 10th Anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative Youth Forum and China-Kazakhstan Youth Leaders Symposium.
The launch ceremony of the first volume of the "Chinese Modernization Studies Series" in Uzbekistan took place on the afternoon of October 22nd in Tashkent. This event was jointly organized by China Renmin University Press and Silk Road Publishing of Uzbekistan. Zhang Donggang, along with Syed Kasimov Syed Mukhtar(former Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan) , Tuliaganov Shavkat(former Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports of Uzbekistan and President of Silk Road Publishing), as well as Umeda Teshabayeva(Director of National Library of the Republic of Uzbekistan), attended the ceremony and delivered speeches.
In order to enrich and develop the Chinese content of the Silk Road International Library Alliance(SRILA), RUC and National Library of the Republic of Uzbekistan jointly set up the RUC-Uzbekistan Chinese Bookshelf, and RUC donated 80 books of 32 kinds in the first batch.
The 2023 Summit Forum on the Belt and Road Publishing Cooperation among Countries with the theme of "Deepening International Publishing Cooperation and Implementing the Global Civilization Initiative," and the First China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperation Forum took place in Astana, Kazakhstan on October 24.
This forum, included in the list of multilateral cooperation outcome documents of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, marks another significant achievement of RUC's Belt and Road Joint Construction project.
Guided by the State Press and Publication Administration, this forum was hosted by RUC and L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan, with support from China Renmin University Press, Press Center of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan, the Belt and Road Publishing Cooperation among Countries, as well as International Cultural and Academic Exchange Alliance.
Zhang Donggang and Charge d'affaires Xing Fangfang from the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan attended and delivered speeches at this event. Mahesh Selic (Vice President for Scientific Research of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan), Duman Remazan (Vice President for International Cooperation of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan), along with Li Yongqiang (Chair of the China Renmin University Press) were also present at this forum. More than 70 representatives from publishing institutions, teachers, students hailing from five Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan participated in this meeting. The aim is to elevate publishing cooperation among Belt and Road nations to a higher level across a wider scope.
This forum achieved several important outcomes. Firstly, the establishment of the China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Publishing Cooperation among Countries. Secondly, the Kazakhstan branch of China Renmin University Press was officially inaugurated. Embracing the concept of mutual learning between civilizations and fostering win-win cooperation, a novel mechanism for publishing collaboration between China and Kazakhstan has been established. Lastly, the Kazakh and Uzbek editions of the "Chinese Modernization Research Series" (Volume One) have been unveiled to narrate the tale of Chinese modernization in Central Asian nations while offering valuable insights for Central Asia's own journey towards modernization.
On October 23, the National Academy of Development and Strategy(NADS) of RUC and the National University of Uzbekistan, the first institution of higher learning in Central Asia, jointly held a high-quality China-Uzbekistan academic seminar on the 10th anniversary of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.
At the meeting, Zhang Donggang signed a memorandum of understanding with Enom Magidov, president of the National University of Uzbekistan, on the joint research center of the Belt and Road Initiative and the "New Uzbekistan" development strategy. Yu Jun, Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Uzbekistan delivered a video message of congratulations. The seminar was chaired by Musulmnov Ravshan, Vice President of Uzbekistan National University, and attended by Daniar Kurbanov, former Ambassador of Uzbekistan to China, and other guests.
On October 24, the National Academy of Development and Strategy(NADS) of RUC and Nazarbayev University of Kazakhstan jointly held the 10th Anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative Youth Forum and China-Kazakhstan Youth Leaders Symposium.
At the Youth Forum, Zhang Donggang, Elizan Adsida(President of Nazarbayev University), Wang Tao(Minister of the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan), Melbek Izbasar(Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan), delivered speeches successively. Outstanding young people from China and Kazakhstan discussed jointly building high-quality development along the Belt and Road under the two themes of "Jointly promoting greater development between China and Kazakhstan" and "Creating a new era of friendship and mutual trust between China and Kazakhstan".
