Exploring Asia's New Role in a Multipolarizing World: The Twelfth CICA Think Tank Forum Held in Shanghai

2024年11月01日

From October 24 to 25, 2024, the Twelfth CICA Think Tank Forum, hosted by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), took place in Shanghai. The theme of this forum was "Asia’s New Role in a Multipolarizing World." More than 60 representatives from consulates general and think tanks of 17 CICA Member States and international organizations—including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Israel, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Thailand, the UAE, Russia, China, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—gathered to share their diverse perspectives on the development of a multipolarizing world. Through dialogue, participants aimed to enhance mutual understanding among Member States and ensure that CICA continues to promote sustainable security in Asian under the guiding principles of mutual trust and common development.

 

The CICA Think Tank Forum was established in March 2014 under the leadership of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, bringing together think tanks and intellectual elites from CICA Member States in Shanghai to contribute wisdom for CICA's development. Subsequently, the forum has held eight consecutive meetings in a roundtable format, producing multiple research reports and chair statements that have made a significant impact among Member States. Since 2021, the CICA Think Tank Forum was transformed into an information and analytical advisory body within the CICA framework, with SIIS serving as the inaugural chair. This year marks the twelfth meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum.

 

During the opening ceremony on the afternoon of October 24, opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Amb. Kairat Sarybay, Secretary-General of CICA; Mr. Cui Guojie, Counsellor of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Oleg Kopelov, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; and Prof. Chen Dongxiao, President of SIIS. The opening ceremony was hosted by Mr. Li Kaisheng, Vice President of SIIS.

 

In the plenary sessions, experts engaged in in-depth discussions regarding Asia's new role in a multipolarizing world, analyzing how to enhance mutual understanding among CICA Member States through dialogue while seeking common ground amid differences. They explored how Member States could share successful experiences and common challenges in areas such as green transition, digital economy development, regional integration of industrial and supply chains, energy technology choices, and energy efficiency improvements, in order to develop equitable and sustainable solutions. Additionally, discussions focused on how Member States can strengthen the CICA mechanism from an Asian perspective to better leverage Asia’s leadership in international affairs.

 

This forum coincides with the tenth anniversary of the inception of the CICA Think Tank Forum. As the inaugural chair of the TTF, SIIS remains committed to advancing the platform’s development and will continue to organize research project and multilateral dialogue within the CICA TTF framework. Through t this think tank forum, we look forward to gathering the wisdom of experts from all Member States to provide strong intellectual support for the sustainable development of CICA.