About the Conference

The Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC) held an international conference, "The Belt and Road Initiative: Inspirations and Opportunities", in conjunction with the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) and Turkey's Foreign Affairs Ministry's Center for Strategic Research (SAM) and Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec 12, 2014.

CIRSD's president, Vuk Jeremic, presided over the opening ceremony, with Ahmet Davutoğlu, Prime Minister of Turkey, sending a congratulatory letter to the conference. Prof. Ali Resul Usul, Chairman of Center for Strategic Research of the Turkish Foreign Ministry (SAM), Prof. Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator of Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), and Mr. Yu Hongyang, Ambassador of China to Turkey, made opening remarks. Mr. Li Wei, Minister and President of the Development Research Council of the State Council of China (DRC) and Member of the CIRSD Board of Advisors, and H.E. Dr. Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Montenegro gave keynote speeches.

In addition, more than 20 officials and scholars addressed the gathering and shared their opinions on the Belt and Road initiative.They are H. E. Mr. Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Member of the CIRSD Board of Advisors, H.E. Mr. Mile Janakieski, Minister of Transport and Communications of Macedonia; H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé, former Foreign Minister of Spain, Dr. Farhad Mammadov, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mr. Dorjan Duçka, Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry of Albania, Dr. İsmail Safi, Member of Turkish Parliament and President of the Black Sea Caspian Sea International Fund, Ak. Prof. Dr. Zvonimir Baletić, President of the Geoeconomic Forum, Croatia, Dr. Peter Nolan, Director, Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge, H.E. Amb. Süha Umar, Turkish Asian Strategic Research Center (TASAM), Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), Dr. Nurullah Gür, Senior Researcher in Economics, SETA, Mr. Dr. Akkan Suver, President, Marmara Group Foundation, Dr. Long Guoqiang, Member of DRC Leadership, Director General, General Office of DRC, Mr. Hou Yongzhi, Director General, Department of Development Strategy and Regional Economy, DRC, Dr. Zhao Jinping, Director General, Department of Foreign Economic Relations, DRC, Dr. Cheng Guoqiang, Director General, Department of International Cooperation, DRC, Mr. Ou Xiaoli, Deputy Director General, Department of Western Development, National Development and Reform Commission of China, Dr. Zhang Yuyan, Director General, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Dr. Zhai Kun, Professor, School of International Studies, Peking University, Dr. Sha Wutian, Deputy Director, Dunhuang Academy of China, and Mr. Gu Jingqi, Chinese Consul General to Istanbul.

The conference had more than 100 officials and scholars from China, Turkey, Serbia, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Spain, Britain, and Black Sea Caspian Sea International Fund taking part in discussions on the mutual beneficial, interconnected, open and inclusive and sustainable Silk Roads. They have proposed many valuable suggestions on the Belt and Road initiative and reached broad consensus on it. DRC's vice-minister, Zhang Junkuo made the concluding remarks.

Topics

1. International Trade

Because the goal of China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative is to increase policy-related communications among different economies, facilitate trade and investment, increase financial cooperation, and boost economic development, the topics to be addressed include common interests of economies along the Belt and Road and their opportunities for cooperation, their institutional or policy barriers to investment and trade, ways to boost regional economic cooperation, and the frameworks or platforms needed for cooperation.

2. Infrastructure

This includes railways, roads, airways, airports, ports, and communication facilities as major means for economic cooperation and cultural exchanges and the following topics can be addressed from a perspective of regional cooperation: problems that affect infrastructure connection or communication; difficulties that need to be overcome for these connections or communication; solutions or ideas ways for different economies to cooperate; and the necessary means for different economies to invest, build, operate, and share infrastructure.

3. Cultural Exchanges

Easier person-to-person exchanges and mutual trust are both the prerequisite and the goal of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative. So it is important to address the question of how to inculcate such virtues as openness and tolerance in Silk Road exchanges, increase cultural exchanges and promote common prosperity through serious discussions. Others areas to consider are the aspects (say, education and tourism) that need to be covered in cultural exchanges; the methods of exchange; the highlights of these exchanges; and related problems and solutions.

4. Sustainable Development

It is clear that developing countries along the 'One Belt, One Road' area cannot modernize by following the developed countries' industrial paradigm, and that one thing they face in common is how to innovate their mode of development, and how to deal with climate change and environmental problems for low-carbon, green, environmentally friendly, sustainable development. It is essential that the different economies concerned need to exchange ideas on policies and experiences in this respect and identify the potential for cooperation in research and development.

5. Cooperation among Think Tanks

Think tanks have an important role to play in the economies along the 'One Belt, One Road' area when they confront problems while striving for harmonious, sustainable development. Thanks to their expertise, and influence in government and among the people, think tanks can improve trust and understanding, introduce innovative ideas, improve planning and design, and help facilitate exchanges. In this sense, the topics worth considering include the role of think tanks in the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, ways to make better use of them, and ways to strengthen their exchanges and cooperation.

 

Agenda

International Conference

Silk Roads: Inspirations and Opportunities

DRAFT AGENDA

[8 December 2014 / as of 19h Belgrade time]

Conrad Hotel, İstanbul (Grand Ballroom)

11 December 2014 

19h – 21h   Gala Dinner (special location: Junior Ballroom)

Welcoming Remarks

• H.E. Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Foreign Minister of Turkey

 

12 December 2014

8h30 – 10h30 Opening Ceremony and Keynote Addresses

Welcoming Written Message:

• H.E. Prof. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Prime Minister of Turkey

Opening Remarks:

• H.E. Mr. Vuk Jeremić, President for the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD); former President of the UN General Assembly and Foreign Minister of Serbia

• Prof. Ali Resul Usul, Chairman, Center for Strategic Research of the Turkish Foreign Ministry (SAM)

• Prof. Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator, Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA)

• Mr. Yu Hongyang, Ambassador of China to Turkey

Keynote Addresses:

• Mr. Li Wei, Minister and President of the Development Research Council of the State Council of China (DRC) and Member of the CIRSD Board of Advisors

• H.E. Dr. Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Montenegro

    

10h30 – 10h45 Tea Break

 

10h45 – 12h15 Session I: Mutually Beneficial and Win-win Silk Roads

Moderator:

• Dr. Long Guoqiang, Member of DRC Leadership, Director General, General Office of DRC

Speakers: [maximum 10 minutes each]

• H.E. Mr. Mile Janakieski, Minister of Transport and Communications of Macedonia

• Dr. Zhao Jinping, Director General, Department of Foreign Economic Relations, DRC

• H.E. Mr. Dorjan Duçka, Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry of Albania

• Mr. Ruslan Rustamli, Head of Department for Cooperation with International Organizations of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Azerbaijan

• Dr. Zhang Yuyan, Director General, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

 

12h15 – 13h30 Luncheon

 

13h30 – 14h45 Session II: Interconnected Silk Roads

Moderator:

• Assoc. Prof. Sadık Ünay, Director of Economic Research, SETA

Speakers: [maximum 10 minutes each]

• Mr. Ou Xiaoli, Deputy Director General, Department of Western Development, National Development and Reform Commission of China

• Dr. Farhad Mammadov, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan

• Dr. İsmail Safi, Member of Turkish Parliament and President of the Black Sea Caspian Sea International Fund

• Dr. Altay Atlı, Director of Asian Studies Center, Bogazici University, İstanbul

• Assoc. Prof. Ali Akkemik, Head of the Department of Economics, Kadir Has University

• Assoc. Prof. Hatice Karahan, Senior Researcher in Economics, SETA

 

14h45 – 16h Session III: Open and Inclusive Silk Roads

Moderator:

• Mr. Gu Jingqi, Chinese Consul General to Istanbul

Speakers: [maximum 10 minutes each]

• Dr. Sha Wutian, Deputy Director, Dunhuang Academy of China

• Dr. Akkan Suver, President, Marmara Group Foundation

• Dr. Zhai Kun, Professor, School of International Studies, Peking University

• Dr. Ebubekir Ceylan, Vice-President, Yunus Emre Cultural Institute of Turkey

• Dr. Predrag Simić, Professor of Political Science, University of Belgrade

 

16h – 17h15 Session IV: Sustainable Silk Roads

Moderator:

• Assoc. Prof. Murat Yeşiltaş, Director for Security Studies, SETA

Speakers: [maximum 10 minutes each]

• Mr. Hou Yongzhi, Director General, Department of Development Strategy and Regional Economy, DRC

• H.E. Amb. Süha Umar, Turkish Asian Strategic Research Center (TASAM)

• Dr. Nurullah Gür, Senior Researcher in Economics, SETA

• Prof. Ekrem Tatoglu, Head of the Department of International Trade, Bahcesehir University, İstanbul

• Mr. Ussal Sahbaz, Senior Researcher in Economics, Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV)

 

17h15 – 17h30 Tea Break

 

17h30 – 18h45 Session V: Cooperation of Think Tanks along Silk Roads

Moderator:

• Dr. Ufuk Ulutas, Director of Foreign Policy Research, SETA

Speakers: [maximum 10 minutes each]

• Dr. Long Guoqiang, Member of DRC Leadership, Director General, General Office of DRC

• Ak. Prof. Dr. Zvonimir Baletić, President of the Geoeconomic Forum, Croatia

• Dr. Cheng Guoqiang, Director General, Department of International Cooperation, DRC

• Dr. Patrick Ho, Deputy Chairman, China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), Hong Kong

• Dr. Kılıç Buğra Kanat, Researcher in Foreign Policy, SETA

 

18h45 – 19h25 Concluding Remarks

Moderator:

• H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé, former Foreign Minister of Spain and Honorary Chairman of the CIRSD Board of Advisors

Speakers: [maximum 10 minutes each]

• H. E. Mr. Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Member of the CIRSD Board of Advisors

• Dr. Peter Nolan, Director, Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge

• Zhang Junkuo, Vice President, DRC

Please click here to download conference agenda.

 

Speeches at the conference

Deepen Think-tanks Cooperation and Jointly Build Silk Roads

Trade and Investment Cooperation Key to Building Silk Roads

Mutual Connectivity of Infrastructure Basis for Connectivity Trinity

 

Related

An Overview of International Forum on One Belt and One Road Initiative: Major Connotations