“China-Ethiopia Symposium on Social Governance and Social Security System Construction” was successfully hosted at the conference hall on the 8^th floor of Zhiyuan Building in the afternoon of 30^th October.  WU Wanxiong, Vice President of CULR, Abebe, Director of Ethiopian Institute for Strategic Foreign Relations, and SONG Xiang, Director of Center for Foreign Aid Education and Development, School of International Education, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, attended this symposium. Attendees also include Ethiopian scholars, directors of relative department at CULR , and teacher and student representatives at CULR.

In his speech, Vice President WU Wanxiong extended a warm welcome on behalf of CULR to the Ethiopian delegation and briefly introduced the history, characteristics and current development of CULR. He pointed out that social governance and social security system are among the most important economic systems in modern countries, and the construction and improvement of social governance and social security system is an important part of China’s social reform. The symposium provided a sound platform for China and Ethiopia to jointly discuss social governance and social security system and learn from each other. This symposium is also a typical case responding to the Chinese government’s call of “Belt and Road” friendly cooperation.

At the meeting, Professor ZHAO Zuping, Executive Dean of the School of Public Administration, introduced the development and construction of the School of Public Administration. Associate Professor QIAO Jian, Director at the Department of International Exchange and Cooperation, introduced the international exchange situation and development vision of CULR. During the keynote speeches, Associate Professor LV Yin from the School of Public Administration introduced the general situation of social security in China, Professor LI Xingguo analyzed the welfare supply of the third sector in China, and Dr. LI Nan expounded social governance in the Chinese context. Director Abebe introduced the situation of social security in Ethiopia, indicating that Ethiopia is now facing challenges in terms of supply and demand, real poverty constraints. Kefale, Adviser to the Ethiopian Peace, Security and Society Advisory Office, described the situation of social governance in Ethiopia and the achievements made in recent years.

In the concluding session, Director SONG Xiang pointed out that the attendees of this symposium had introduced some of the achievements of the two countries in social governance and social security systems and put forward some cutting-edge theories. It is hoped that Ethiopian scholars will continue to maintain contact and academic exchanges with CULR. Professor Zhang Yan, Associate Dean of the School of Public Administration, said that Ethiopia is an important partner in the construction of the “Belt and Road”, and CULR is willing to share its research findings and experience.

During the symposium, Chinese and Ethiopian scholars also held in-depth discussions on issues of interest to both sides.

(School of Public Administration  Department of International Exchange and Cooperation)