At the invitation of CAFIU, a 5-member ROK NGO delegation composed of representatives from two well-known think tanks, Asan Institute for Policy Studies and Chinese Studies Institute of Korea JoongAng Daily, visited China from March 7 to 11. In Beijing, CAFIU Vice-President Ai Ping met with the delegation. CAFIU Deputy Secretary-General Liu Kaiyang had in-depth exchanges with the delegation on sustainable development and the “Belt and Road”. The delegation also called on the Foreign Economic Relations Department of the Development Research Center of the State Council and visited Beijing Hyundai Motor Company Corporation. Apart from Beijing, the delegation paid a visit to Shanghai. Zhou Yajun, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government met with the delegation. The delegation also called on Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and visited the site of Korea’s provisional government.

 

Head of the delegation and Director of the Department of External Relations of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies Choi Hyeonjung said that although the Institute is quite young, it is very active in holding international forums and academic conferences and carrying out exchange of delegations and visiting scholars with its foreign counterparts and has developed into a renowned think tank in the ROK. Director Choi emphasized that Asan Institute for Policy Studies attaches great importance to Chinese studies and ROK-China exchanges. Currently, the ROK-China relations develop smoothly and there is great potential for the bilateral cooperation in political and economic and trade areas. The “Belt and Road” Initiative has provide new opportunities for the ROK-China cooperation. Asan Institute for Policy Studies is ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with CAFIU and further promote mutual understanding between the two peoples by co-organizing related activities.

 

Korea JoongAng Daily Chinese Studies Institute Chief Correspondent Choi Hyunkyu used to be the Director of the China Bureau of JoongAng Tongyang Broadcasting Company, who had been working in China for many years, knowing about China in an all round way and has done a lot to make the ROK people know China better. Mr. Choi said that JoongAng Daily, the largest media group of the ROK is willing to know more about China and work hard to become a most effective platform to “let China understand the ROK and let the ROK understand China”. JoongAng Daily Chinese Studies Institute is the only research institute focusing on Chinese studies established by media in the ROK. Currently, the ROK pays more and more attention to the “Belt and Road”and frequent discussions, speeches about the “Belt and Road” are held by all sectors of society. The Institute will focus on research on the “Belt and Road” in the following years and hopes to enhance exchanges with related Chinese organizations to have more in-depth discussions on the “Belt and Road” so as to provide more objective and comprehensive reports to the ROK people.