On 23 September, the "Rich 70 Tsinghua Southeast Asia Cloud Forum" opened. Co-organized by Tsinghua University and the Indonesia United in Diversity, the Cloud Forum aims to celebrate the friendship and achievements of the two countries, and to provide a platform for leaders from China, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian regions to learn from each other, in order to promote the implementation of the SDGs by China and Southeast Asian countries, and to strengthen the innovative development and cooperation of multiple parties.
[From top to bottom, left to right] Joko Widodo, Qiu Yong, Tuti Hadiputranto, Ning Jizhe, Luhut Panjaitan, Bai Chong'en, Edward F. Crawley, Michelle Yeoh, Yang Bin
At the opening ceremony, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia sent a congratulatory letter to the forum; President Qiu Yong of Tsinghua University, Tuti Hadiputranto, President of Indonesia United in Diversity, delivered a welcoming speech; Ning Jizhe, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and Luhut Panjaitan, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Integration of Indonesia, made opening speeches; Keynote speeches were delivered by Professor Bai Chong'en, Dean of Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management, and Professor Edward F. Crawley, Provost of the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center; congratulations were given by a video message from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh, and the Forum's opening ceremony was moderated by Tsinghua University's Vice President, Provost, and Chariman of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Sustainable Development Goals of Tsinghua Univeristy (TUSDG), Yang Bin.
In his congratulatory letter, the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, commended the Tsinghua University Southeast Asia Center for its outstanding achievements in human resources development, education exchange, and cross-sector dialogue. He was confident that the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center will continue to play an important and catalytic role in connecting Indonesia, China, the Southeast Asian region and the wider region.
Qiu Yong said that Indonesia, as the largest economy in ASEAN and the first place of the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road", has always been an important partner country of Tsinghua University in international exchange and cooperation. Over the years, Tsinghua University has been taking the initiative to promote educational exchanges and regional cooperation between the two countries. Over the past two years, the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center has been actively carrying out talent training programmes in Southeast Asia and promoting humanistic and academic exchanges between China and Southeast Asian countries, which have been highly appreciated by all sectors of the society.
Tuti Hadiputranto spoke of the Forum as an important platform to witness the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, reflecting the cooperation and mutual trust between the two countries. In order to build resilient societies, achieve the sustainable development goal of "Heaven and Man Are United as One" and create happiness for humanity, she encouraged both sides to be united in strengthening cooperation with an open mind, an open heart and an open will.
Ning Jizhe believes that China and Indonesia are important neighbours to each other, both are developing powers and emerging economies with significant influence, and share a wide range of common interests at the bilateral, regional and global levels. Especially since the beginning of this year, the governments and people of the two countries have given each other a helping hand in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, lent each other a helping hand in the recovery of the economy, and have continued to deepen and mutually beneficial co-operation, and the bilateral relationship has demonstrated a strong resilience.
Luhut Panjaitan said that the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia means that the two countries' relationship has taken a new level. In the current era of rampant pandemics and challenges, the two sides must further strengthen their cooperation. This forum reflects the willingness of all sectors in China and Indonesia to cooperate and the depth of bilateral relations, which is conducive to the joint achievement of sustainable development goals.
[From top to bottom, left to right] Puan Maharani, Liu Yong, A.A. Raka Sudewi, Anousheh Ansari, David Aikman, Dominic Ng, Leslie Maasdorp, Zhu Xufeng
Zhu Xufeng, Professor and Associate Dean of Tsinghua School of Public Policy & Management (SPPM) and Executive Director of TUSDG, moderated the "Guest Discussion - Collaborative Dialogue on Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center" session. He quoted President Xi Jinping's important speech at the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on the 22nd - "The global pandemic of the Covid-19 and today's world is in the midst of great changes that have not been seen in a century, but the theme of the times of peace and development remains unchanged, and the expectations of the people of all countries for peaceful development and win-win cooperation have become even stronger" to open the session. He stressed that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, and the two countries have been improving their relations and expanding their areas of co-operation, while the Belt and Road Initiative has brought fruitful opportunities to the two countries, which fully proves the importance of "peace, development and win-win co-operation". The development of the partnership is not only to inspire each other and open the door for technology sharing and innovation, but more importantly, to help chart the way for the implementation of sustainable development in the Southeast Asian region.
Puan Maharani, Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, and Liu Yong, Chief Economist of China Development Bank, said in their speeches that the concept of "Heaven, Earth, People and Harmony" of Bali, Indonesia - the harmonious relationship between human beings, human beings and ecology, and human beings and spirituality - is highly consistent with the content of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; it is hoped that this forum will deepen the friendship between China and Indonesia, and open up more possibilities for future cooperation between the two sides in areas related to sustainable development. A.A. Raka Sudewi, President of Udayana University, Indonesia; Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE Foundation; David Aikman, Chief Representative of the World Economic Forum Greater China; Dominic Ng, Chairman, President and CEO of East West Bank; Leslie Maasdorp, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of BRICS Development Bank, discussed how to promote cooperation between China and Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries from the perspectives of university cooperation experience, technological innovation, international cooperation, credit and investment, and standardization of research data and analysis, respectively. During the discussion, the guests emphasized that with 10 years to go before the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, no individual can achieve the SDGs through unilateral efforts, and called on all stakeholders, including businesses, civil society and international organizations, to join hands and work together to achieve the SDGs.
The forum features "Policy Lab", "Happy Digital City", "Innovation Lab", "Natural Resources", "Carbon and Community", "Finance Lab", "State-Owned Enterprises and Public Health", "China-Indonesia-Pacific Partnership" and "China-Indonesia-Pacific Partnership". "Carbon and Community", "Finance Lab", "State-Owned Enterprises and Public Health", "Peace and Prosperity in China and Indonesia Peace and Prosperity", "Joining Hands in Southeast Asia to Promote Diversified Integration", and "Happiness Lab", each of which organizes a number of online high-end roundtables, inviting a large number of experts from China, Indonesia, other Southeast Asian countries, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the United States to participate. Among them, the sub-forum on the afternoon of 23rd - "Peace and Prosperity in China and Indonesia" is jointly organised by TUSDG and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
[From top to bottom, left to right] Lestari Moerdijat, Ann Sim, Mahendra Siregar, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Xiao Qian, Djauhari Oratmangun, Serey Chea, Hong Fong, and guests
In the speech session of the sub-forum, Lestari Moerdijat, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Ann Sim, Senior Political Minister of the Ministry of Communications and Infographics of Indonesia, and Mahendra Siregar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, delivered welcoming speeches. They mentioned that this year is the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, and the two countries have been strengthening their exchanges and co-operation in the political, economic and cultural fields. Especially this year's pandemic, the two countries to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic makes the relationship between the two sides closer. It is hoped that this sub-forum will enhance the friendship and cohesion between the people of China and Indonesia, and at the same time raise the public's awareness of "the importance of cultural relations between Indonesia and the Chinese community".
Afterwards, Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary General of ASEAN, Xiao Qian, Ambassador of China to Indonesia, Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China, Serey Chea, Assistant Governor and Director General of the National Bank of Cambodia, and Hong Huang, a well-known media personality, briefly introduced the topics of this panel discussion session from diverse perspectives such as international relations, Belt and Road Initiative, trade and investment, cooperation against epidemic and vaccine, global peace and sustainable development, innovation ecosystem, talent cultivation model, and cultural exchange.
[From top to bottom, left to right] Alissa Wahid, Zhu Xufeng, Liu Meng, Hong Huang, Ima Abdulrahim
The guest discussion session was moderated by Ima Abdulrahim, Head of Public Policy, Southeast Asia, Facebook, with Alissa Wahid, Country Coordinator, Gusdurian Network, Liu Meng, Representative-General of the United Nations Global Compact for the Asia-Pacific region, Zhu Xufeng, Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Public Policy & Management, Tsinghua University and Executive Director of the the Institute of Sustainable Development Goals of Tsinghua University (TUSDG), and renowned media personality Hong Huang participated in the discussion. Zhu Xufeng said that in 2015, the first meeting of the China-Indonesia Vice-Prime Minister-level Humanitarian Exchange Mechanism was held in Jakarta, and the two sides have strengthened exchanges and cooperation in the fields of education, culture, science and technology, and tourism around this mechanism. Tsinghua University, as a higher education institution, has actively carried out talent exchanges and cooperation with Indonesia, including: the creation of the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center with the strong support of the Indonesia United in Diversity, the establishment of a Master's Degree Programme in Public Management for International Development at the SPPM, and the holding of a Co-Class training programme by the TUSDG, etc., which has contributed to the enhancement of the capacity building of the Indonesian governmental personnel and promote learning and exchanges between Indonesia and China.
During the discussion, the guests comments that we should shift the paradigm of nurturing the new generation of young people - from sending our children to study in Western countries to attracting more overseas students to study in our own countries, encouraging the new generation of young people to boldly express and present their own cultures to the world, and letting the world know more about Asian cultures, and emphasized that the new generation of young people should not forget their national roots while becoming global citizens.
Breakout sessions for all participants
Finally, the sub-forum also set up a breakout session for the participants, which provided each participant with an opportunity to participate and speak in depth. Each participant shared with each other their ideas and suggestions on political, economic and cultural co-operation between China, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, and the atmosphere of the discussion was very active.
This forum is an important witness to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, and it is a new chapter for the two countries to promote bilateral innovative development and cooperation, to build a shared community with a shared future for mankind, to realise the goals of sustainable development, and to build a better home for mankind.
