Ms. Alviann Liselle Thompson, Director of External Relations at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, recently expressed her gratitude to Shanghai Business School. Ms. Thompson was a participant in the Seminar on Green Circular Economy and Sustainable Development for Belt and Road Countries, organized by the MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai) at Shanghai Business School.
In her letter, Ms. Thompson lauded the seminar for its in-depth analysis and discussions on China’s sustainable development strategy, green finance, and circular economy principles, which deeply resonated with the participants. She highlighted the professionalism and dedication of the experts who conducted the course and valued the field visits to various green industry enterprises, which offered invaluable insights and experiences. According to Ms. Thompson, the seminar fostered a platform for cooperation and understanding, offering a developmental blueprint for all participating countries. She also introduced her university, the University of the West Indies, and extended an invitation to establish closer ties and potential collaborations with Shanghai Business School for mutual development.
Adhering to the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, China steadfastly practices multilateralism, proposes the Global Development Initiative, deepens practical cooperation, and actively participates in global environmental and climate governance. These efforts contribute to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promoting global sustainable development and constructing a community of life between humans and nature to build a prosperous, clean, and beautiful world. In January 2023, China released a white paper titled China’s Green Development in the New Era. Actively advancing green and low-carbon development is a crucial measure for China to engage in global governance and build a community with a shared future for mankind. This not only holds significant importance for China’s own economic transformation and high-quality development but also contributes immensely to the world. The release of the white paper underscores China’s unwavering determination to continuously promote green development and collaborate with other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
The seminar thoroughly explored the resource advantages of China, especially Shanghai, in developing a green circular economy. In terms of classroom teaching, in addition to experts from Shanghai Business school, experts and scholars from institutions such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, and China Railway Shanghai Design Institute shared China’s practices and experiences in green circular economy development and sustainable development promotion. This provided valuable references and insights for the participating countries to develop their green circular economy and promote sustainable development. During the seminar, all participants also visited Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, for a field study.
The seminar received unanimous praise from the participants. The average evaluation score of the seminar was 97 points, with 15 participants giving scores above 95, accounting for 79%, and 6 participants giving a perfect score of 100, accounting for 31%. At the closing ceremony, Mr. Abdul, Policy and Economic Analyst from the Ministry of Economy of Afghanistan, stated, “The discussions in the classroom and the teachers’ clear and thorough explanations greatly benefited the participants. The field study allowed the participants to witness firsthand the ongoing green economic transformation at the local and enterprise levels.” Mr. Aslanbek, a researcher at the National Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Kazakhstan, wrote in the evaluation survey: “It has been proven that this seminar is rich in content and very practical, with a particular focus on corporate strategic management and national entrepreneurship development strategies, fully meeting expectations.”
The Seminar on Green Circular Economy and Sustainable Development for Belt and Road Countries was organized by the Ministry of Commerce and hosted by Shanghai Business School from June 13 to June 26. A total of 19 officials from 7 countries, including Afghanistan, Cuba, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan, participated in the seminar.
Written by: Liang Bo
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
