the_bridge_tank, auteur sur The Bridge Tank

Policy Brief : Soil as Natural Capital: a factor for sustainable diversification

Posted on 14 April 20196 August 2020 by the_bridge_tank

The soil is a living ecosystem that is capable of growth and diversification. It is also a productive capital but the conventional methods and technologies of its exploitation could lead to its destruction. Reversing this paradigm is the basis of a green growth strategy: the soil can become a carbon sink again, and the material and energy it produces can fuel genuinely sustainable industries, especially mobility. As a capital, the soil is not irremediably degraded; Sustainable management of soil capital is hence a priority for sustainable diversification and climate.

Horasis Global Meeting 2019: Catalyzing the Benefits of Globalization

Posted on 12 April 20198 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

The Horasis Global Meeting was held from April 6-9, 2019 in Cascais, Portugal. It gathered over 800 world leaders from over 70 countries around the theme “Catalyzing the Benefits of Globalization”. The Bridge Tank was represented by its chairman Joël Ruet and its board member Pranjal Sharma, advisor at the Davos World Economic Forum and contributing editor to Business Standard and Business World.

In a panel titled “The Changing Face of Communism,” Joël Ruet argued that China was historically decentralised, with a government controlling the capital, whereas in the West, capital controls the government. He added that overpopulation remained a growing concern in China and that funds from outside the country needed to be considered for realistic projects.

Pranjal Sharma intervened in a plenary session titled “Navigating a World in Transition” and exchanged with the other speakers about their personal experiences as leaders and how they inspire people.

To read Horasis’ report of the Global Meeting, click here.

An event-filled week for The Bridge Tank during Xi Jinping’s state visit to France

Posted on 3 April 20191 August 2023 by the_bridge_tank

The Chinese President’s State visit to France from 24 to 26 March 2019 was marked by France’s desire to put Europe and the EU back at the heart of its relationship with China, as demonstrated by the diplomatic innovation of the invitation extended by French President Macron to the German Chancellor and the President of the European Commission.

Ahead of the Chinese President’s arrival, the official programme opened with a bilateral Franco-Chinese Seminar on Global Governance, co-organised by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Centre for Analysis, Planning and Strategy (CAPS) and the Chinese State Council Information Office, and opened by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

On this occasion, The Bridge Tank held discussions with CAPS prior to the seminar, and organised a working meeting with the Information Office and the China International Publishing Group. Our think tank also took part in discussions between the Chinese delegation and the former French Prime Minister and Special Representative of the French President for China, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Chinese Vice-Minister of Education Du Zhanyuan and Justin Vaïsse, Director of CAPS.

The Bridge Tank and the China International Publishing Group signed a memorandum of understanding on training and the sharing of ideas concerning Franco-Chinese bilateral relations, but also incorporating the European dimension on the basis of cooperation of “networks of excellence or organizations within China and Europe through both parties’ intermediary role,” to “leverage as much as possible their international network”, for the “exchange of ideas”, and “cooperation in holding seminars, high level dialogue”.

In the interests of intellectual independence, it was agreed that our two organisations would jointly fund all activities.

The Chinese delegation gathered the following members:

Mr Du Zhanyuan, Chinese Vice-Minister of Education
Ms Chen Shi, Deputy Editor-in-chief of China International Publishing Group
Mr Xu Bu, President and Editor-in-chief of the Foreign Languages Press
Mr Xi Feng, Director General of the General Office of the China International Publishing Group
Mr Jiang Yonggang, Director General of the International Cooperation Department at the China International Publishing Group
Mr Yu Yunquan, Deputy Director General of the Academy of the Contemporary China and World Studies at the China International Publishing Group
Mr Xing Yutang, Coordinator and Interpreter of International Cooperation Department of the China Publishing Group.

Xi Jinping’s visit & the Franco-Chinese Forum on Global Governance

The MoU & the discussions around Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Special Representative of the French President for China

CGTN Dialogue – Joel Ruet discusses the Belt & Road Initiative MoU between Italy and China

Posted on 2 April 20191 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

Xi Jinping’s state visits to Italy and France from March 21-26, 2019 was a milestone in the Belt and Road Initiative’s (BRI) westward expansion. One of the key elements of this visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Italian government, according to which Italy would actively take part in the Belt and Road Initiative. This was particularly significant as Italy was then the first Western European country and G7 power to show such a strong interest for the BRI.

Joël Ruet took part in CGTN’s Dialogue program to comment this signing, along with Michele Geraci, the Italian Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economic Development, responsible for international trade and foreign direct investments. In a context of a very commented signing by the Italian authorities and a just as commented lack of signing by the French authorities, Joël Ruet highlighted that France’s investments and trade with China remained much higher than Italy’s. He added that, in the European view, the priority was not to sign a Belt and Road agreement, but to have concrete economic commitments.

During Xi Jinping’s state visit to France, the host country also innovated institutionally by inviting German chancellor Angela Merkel as well as Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, to meet with the Chinese and French heads of state. This highlighted the European Union’s shared point of view regarding diplomacy with China, especially in the context of a unilateral signing by Italy.

To rewatch the show:

Joel Ruet and irina Bokova of The Bridge Tank speak at the BOAO Forum 2019

Posted on 1 April 201927 July 2021 by the_bridge_tank

The Boao Forum 2019 took place between the 26th and the 29th March, themed: ‘Shared Future, Concerted Action, Common Development’. The Opening Plenary Session was held by the Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, who highlighted the importance of a mutually beneficial cooperation in the face of world economic headwinds. He added that China would not resort to massive economic stimulus to boost growth, but would continue to open up and innovate to energize market players and strengthen endogenous stimulation for economic development.

The Bridge Tank has been a partner of the forum since 2018, and was this year represented by president Joël Ruet, who took part in several key events:

Panelist at the session titled: ‘The Future of the Sharing Economy’, moderated by Lu Binbin, founder of BinBinBang and producer of E-Talking. Other panelists included Yunfeng Bai, President of the Tal Education Group, Kelvin Chen, co-founder and CEO of Xiaoshu.com, Marsha Ma, Vice-President and Managing Director of China Booking.com, Ming Maa, President of Grab, and Mi Wenjuan, Founder and CEO of VIPKID.

Attended a closed door session organized by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and former UNSG Ban-ki-moon.
Interviewed on several occasions by Chinese and international press, notably on the midday show of the national channel CGTN. Other guests included Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former French Prime Minister, and Xu Tiebing, Professor at the Communication University of China.

Attended the ‘She Economy’ roundtable, organized by famous newscaster Lu Binbin. Ruet was the only foreign delegate to be invited to this discussion between Chinese CEOs and business owners.

Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO and The Bridge Tank board member also attended the forum, taking part notably in two panels: ‘A Sustainable Future for Rural Asia and Cities’ and the roundtable: ‘The Power of Women and the Value of Balance’.

China-US : What rivalry regarding investment and innovation?

Posted on 12 March 20191 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

On March 11, 2019, as part of the “Transatlantic Exchanges Series”, The Bridge Tank and France-Amériques co-organised a conference on “China-United States: further than the hot and cold about trade, what rivalry regarding investment and innovation?”

Joël Ruet, President of The Bridge Tank, Jean-Claude Beaujour, Vice-President of France-Amériques & Board Member of The Bridge Tank, and François Quentin, former Deputy Director-General of Thales and former Chairman of the Executive Board of Huawei France, were the conference’s keynote speakers.

François Quentin presented Huawei as a company with fantastic growth, especially in the last twenty years. However, Western countries and consumers tend to remain critical towards this group, despite a sales policy centred around customers and great attention paid to suppliers, he argued. Yearly bonuses are notably paid through stock exchange shares, and former employees are considered to be highly employable by many other companies.

In addition to the founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei, three administrators, sometimes referred to as three CEOs, share among themselves the direction of the three main parts of the company: strategy, operations, and resources & development. Despite it being in the common interest for Huawei and the United States to stay in good terms, the company could make itself independent from Google and other American firms if the Sino-American trade war was to continue. Along with other factors, the American position could lead Huawei to increasingly centralise its activity in China.

The Bridge Tank attends the 2019 Davos Forum

Posted on 2 February 201916 December 2021 by the_bridge_tank

Between the 22nd and the 25th of January 2019, the World Economic Forum held its annual meeting in Davos. It gathered experts and personalities around the theme “Globalisation 4.0: creating a global architecture at the age of the fourth industrial revolution”. The Bridge Tank was represented by its chairman Joël Ruet and its board member Pranjal Sharma, advisor at the Davos WEF and contributing editor at Business Standard and Business World. Pranjal Sharma discussed with Klaus Schwab, creator of the Forum, about his book “Kranti Nation”.

Joël Ruet on CGTN World Insight – France’s grand debate to appease the ‘yellow vests’?

Posted on 15 January 201916 May 2022 by the_bridge_tank

The Bridge Tank’s president Joël Ruet analyses the current ‘yellow vests’ movement in France on French-Chinese television channel CGTN’s show, World Insight, explaining that contestation is also part of democracy’s vitality.

Watch the debate here.

The Bridge Tank attends the 62nd Congress of the Liberal International with Presidents Ouatara and Sall of Ivory Coast and Senegal

Posted on 1 December 201810 December 2021 by the_bridge_tank

The Liberal International 62nd Congress took place between the 28th and the 30th of November 2018 in Dakar, Senegal.

On this occasion, amongst the keynote speakers present were African presidents and heads of state members of the Liberal International, including the President of Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara, the Senegalese President Macky Sall and the exiting chairman of the Liberal International Juli Minoves. They discussed the expansion of the Liberal International in other African countries and the limitations of presidential mandates and rewriting of constitutions. President Ouattara encouraged his Senegalese counterpart to follow his example, repeating his promise not to candidate again at the end of his second mandate, arguing that the two mandates limitation was a key element to maintaining democracy in Africa. President Sall acknowledged this statement whilst reminding his audience that legally the amendment of the Senegalese constitution to limit the exercise of power to two mandates did not apply to his first mandate.

The 62nd Liberal International Congress: our Board member Hakima el Haite elected as LI’s new president

Posted on 23 November 201810 December 2021 by the_bridge_tank

The Liberal International 62nd Congress took place between the 28th and the 30th of November 2018 in Dakar, Senegal.

On this occasion, African presidents and heads of state members of the Liberal International were among the keynote speakers, including the President of Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara, the Senegalese President Macky Sall and the exiting chairman of the Liberal International Juli Minoves. They exchanged about the expansion of the Liberal International to other African countries, and discussed limitations of presidential mandates and rewriting of constitutions. President Ouattara encouraged his Senegalese counterpart to follow his example, repeating his promise not to be candidate to a re-election at the end of his second mandate and arguing that the two mandates limitation was a key element to maintaining democracy in Africa. President Sall acknowledged whille reminding that legally the amendment of the Senegalese constitution to limit the exercise of power to two mandates did not apply to his first mandate.

Hakima El Haite, member of the Bridge Tank’s board, was elected as the new president of the Liberal International, becoming the first African woman to hold this position.

Joël Ruet attended this election, along with several current or former heads of government. Among them was Cellou Dallein Diallo, former Guinean Prime Minister and candidate to the Guinean presidential election. Him and The Bridge Tank have already worked together in the past, notably on the Climate Summit for local and regional leaders of November 2016.

This edition of the congress included the launch of the Climate Justice Committee, and working sessions on gender equality to which Joël Ruet participated. These work sessions notably focused on the barriers to and opportunities for women’s full and equal political participation.