Women Need Theoretical Direction in Public Diplomacy: Official (Found on the Web)

womenofchina.cn, December 19, 2014

By Zhang YuanEditor: Arnold Hou

A roundtable was held to summarize women's experiences and practices in public diplomacy and to help women play a more significant role in our country's overall public diplomacy, with the aim of building Beijing into the center of international communication in Beijing on December 18. [Women of China/Zhang Yuan]

Women's public-diplomacy practices are currently still fractional, with a need for further theoretical direction as well as more promotion and publicity, said Zhou Zhijun, vice president of the Beijing Women's Federation, at a roundtable in Beijing on December 18.

The roundtable, co-sponsored by the Charhar Institute and the Beijing Women's International Exchange Center, was held to "summarize women's experiences and practices in public diplomacy and to help women play a more significant role in our country's overall public diplomacy, with the aim of building Beijing into the center of international communication," according to Li Yue, director of the Beijing Women's International Exchange Center.

At the roundtable, Zhou delivered a keynote speech, in which she touched upon the experiences of the Beijing Women's Federation with women's public diplomacy. To build Beijing into the center of international communication, the women’s federation has created a communication platform for helping women develop international careers and for holding meetings where women can share their successful experiences. For several consecutive years, the federation has also organized events on the International Day of Families (May 15) and other such festivals, during which foreign-born families living in Beijing have come together to foster the concept of harmonious family. In addition, the federation has founded Beijing Qiaoniang — a women's cultural-exchange brand — to promote Beijing craftswomen's embroidery works around the world.

Qian Wei, former counselor of the Chinese embassy in France and wife of Ambassador of China to France Zhao Jinjun, discussed women's participation in public diplomacy, referring to her more than 30 years of personal experience. She said that a weak country has no foreign diplomacy and that with the growing strength of modern China, the country's national foreign diplomatic activities have become richer and richer. "The world is not always the enemy. Notwithstanding, there are no permanent friends, only perpetual interests."

Zhao stressed that for foreign affairs, loyalty ranks first forever, followed by responsibility. Not to be discounted, however, is the key role that sincerity plays in foreign diplomatic communications.

The attendees exchanged their opinions on women's role in public diplomacy and shared their thoughts on the advantages and impact that women's institutions have on public-diplomacy practices. Also discussed was the ways in which foreign-diplomacy practices and scholarly research results affect the direction in which women's institutions develop.

The roundtable was presided over by Li Yue and Secretary-General of the Charhar Institute Ke Yinbin. Also in attendance at the roundtable were Li Yingtao, professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy of Beijing Foreign Studies University; Zhong Xin, professor of Renmin University of China; Lü Xiaoli, associate professor at Beijing Normal University; and Liu Yuran, director of the Chinese Society of Education Training Center.

Attendees speak at the roundtable. [Women of China/Zhang Yuan]

Secretary-General of the Charhar Institute Ke Yinbin speaks at the roundtable. [Women of China/Zhang Yuan]

Li Yue, director of the Beijing Women's International Exchange Center, speaks at the roundtable. [Women of China/Zhang Yuan]

Qian Wei, former counselor of the Chinese embassy in France and wife of Ambassador of China to France Zhao Jinjun, speaks at the roundtable. [Women of China/Zhang Yuan]

Zhou Zhijun, vice president of the Beijing Women's Federation, speaks at the roundtable. [Women of China/Zhang Yuan]

(Women of China)