Officials from the British Embassy and Consulate-General Visit the School of Political Science and International Relations, Tongji University

On January 24, 2024, Evie Gould, Second Secretary of the British Embassy in China, Benjamin Griffin, Political Consul of the British Consulate-General in Shanghai, Senior Policy Officer Zhong Zijuan, and Visit Support Officer Lu Wenlin visited Tongji University. They met with international studies scholars from the School of Political Science and International Relations to discuss global governance, multilateralism, the Belt and Road Initiative, China-UK cooperation, and other international topics.

Professor Zhong Zhenming, Vice Dean of the School of Political Science and International Relations, chaired the meeting. Also in attendance were Xu Li from the Foreign Affairs Office of Tongji University; Professor Wang Chuanxing from the School of Political Science and International Relations; Professor Pan Min, Deputy Director of the Polar and Oceanic International Issues Research Center; Professor Song Lilei, Deputy Director of the European Studies Center; Wu Di, Assistant Professor and Foreign Affairs Secretary of the School; and Assistant Professor Wang Lei.

Professor Zhong Zhenming first extended a warm welcome to the officials from the British Embassy and Consulate-General. He noted that in the post-pandemic era, the School of Political Science and International Relations at Tongji University has been rapidly resuming and expanding its international exchanges and collaborations, particularly with European countries, including the UK. He highlighted that the School's research teams have been conducting in-depth studies on many topics of mutual interest to China and the UK and expressed hope for further communication and cooperation between the two sides.

Both sides focused on China-UK cooperation and engaged in discussions on a wide range of topics, including United Nations reform, polar governance, maritime security, US-Europe relations, China-Europe relations, and the Belt and Road Initiative. They exchanged many constructive ideas. Professors Zhong Zhenming, Pan Min, and Song Lilei provided brief introductions to the research directions and specialties of the School of Political Science and International Relations, the Asia-Pacific Research Center, the Polar and Oceanic International Issues Research Center, and the European Studies Center at Tongji University. They held in-depth discussions with the British delegation on topics such as academic research, conference exchanges, and student visits between Chinese and British universities, jointly exploring ways to enhance collaboration in related fields.