Archives des Events-reports - Page 12 of 18

The Bridge Tank’s 2020 Davos – Highlights

Posted on 23 January 20206 August 2020 by the_bridge_tank

As each year, Davos is too hectic to come into a post. Here are, beyond our own organized “Innovation Lunch”, some highlights.

We started with a TV interview on this year’s theme on sustainable environment at the 50th World Economic Forum – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwk5r9PJcPE . The Davos forum of course lags behind on the environment but, despite “We will not save the planet only with companies, but we will not save the planet without companies”.

As last year, The Bridge Tank participated in the 4th Davos Forum on the Silk Roads, / Belt and Road Initiative. A discussion on how to move “from the old globalization that benefits some, to a new globalization focused on the belt and the road that benefits everyone and is of high quality”. Who said Davos is not political ?

On more economic found, the idea was to debate “More international public goods (open to all) than private goods (for shareholders)”.

Last but not least glimpse of this year, we enjoyed the Davos “Open” Forum through an amazing keynote speaker and player: Yo Yo MA.

The Bridge Tank’s week in Beijing for the launch of CGTN Think Tank

Posted on 17 December 201926 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

In early December 2019, The Bridge Tank travelled to Beijing, China on the occasion of the launch of CGTN Think Tank. Represented by its president Joël Ruet, The Bridge Tank’s presence in China proved a valuable opportunity to exchange with various foundations and think tank headquartered in Beijing.

As a founding partner of the organisation, The Bridge Tank attended the launch of CGTN Think Tank on December 4, 2019. This opening session, hosted by CGTN’s star presenter of World Insight, Zhang Hue, was broadcast live on national television.

The inauguration ceremony included speeches by Ban Ki-Moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Yves Leterme, former Belgian Prime Minister, and Martin Jacques, Senior Fellow at the Department of Politics and International of the University of Cambridge and Visiting Professor at the Fudan University of China.

On this occasion, Joël Ruet had the pleasure of meeting once again with Luan Jianzhang, Director of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, who had visited The Bridge Tank’s team in Paris, in June 2019. He also exchanged with representants of the China International Publishing Group, as well as with Yu Yunquan, President of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies.

Following the launch, the CGTN Think Tank held its first event the very same day on the theme “Globalisation in transition: Adapting to a Changing World”. There, Joël Ruet took part in the opening session of this event, alongside Erlan Karin, political advisor to the President of Kazakhstan, Fraser Cameron, Director of the EU-Asia Centre in Brussels, and Zhai Yongping, Chief of Energy Sector Group of the Asian Development Bank.

The session was followed by a ceremony celebrating the 20 years of broadcasting of one of China’s most prominent talkshows: CGTN’s Dialogue with Yang Rui, its star presenter. As recurring guests of the show, Joël Ruet and Martin Jacques gave an interview testifying of their personal friendship with Yang Rui.

The Soong Ching Ling Foundation

Two days prior to the CGTN Think Tank launch, Joël Ruet met with the Chairman of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Wang Jiarui. This meeting on December 2, 2019 came a few months after the visit to Paris of a delegation representing this foundation. The Soong Ching Ling Foundation was created in 1986 by the China Welfare Institute, which had itself been founded by Rosamond Soong Ching-ling, former Honorary President of the People’s Republic of China. During their discussion, Joël Ruet highlighted the necessity for philanthropies to be opened to the people and not only to millionaires. He added that it was the mission of institutions such as the Foundation to promote this idea.

The Pangoal Institution

A day later, on December 3, Joël Ruet met with Yi Peng, Chairman of the Pangoal Institution in Beijing. This public policy think tank, working closely with Chinese companies, studies global governance and civil diplomacy in the countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative.

Unlocking Finance: The Key Factor for Investment on Green Projects in Africa

Posted on 1 November 20196 August 2020 by the_bridge_tank

A significant change in how investors approach green projects is underway. The fight against climate change requires and will require increases in the amount of capital being devoted to green projects. This underlines the importance of mobilizing financial actors from the private sector. Their awareness of this need and on the opportunities these investment give into re-defining the business, is already, for some of them, becoming a reality.

We now have the opportunity to move towards a “decarbonization“ of investment portfolios. For investment to match climate change mitigation goals, we will need concrete moves towards decarbonizing portfolios. The good news is that certain tools exist that can help make green projects more attractive to investors. This policy brief argues for renewed emphasis and action on these points to significantly boost investment. In other words, Africa is open for business.

The Bridge Tank co-organizes the Sino-France Dialogue on Civilizations

Posted on 25 October 201916 December 2021 by the_bridge_tank

On 22nd of October 2019, the Sino-French Dialogue on Civilisations, co-organised by the Bridge Tank and the China International Publishing Group, was host to three working panels focused on the French and Chinese cultures and global values. The discussions focussed on the intensification of bilateral human exchanges and on the definition of a civilisation based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusivity.

Wang Yi, Laurent Fabius, Jiang Jianguo and Dominique de Villepin inaugurated the Sino-French Dialogue on Civilisations. Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor, called for a central place of equality, tolerance and cooperation within human civilisations. Laurent Fabius, former French Prime Minister and President of the Constitutional Council, highlighted that the Sino-French dialogue was a way to live together, especially given that the French and Chinese civilisations have in common the will for openness and a strong interest for balance. These common features should allow the Sino-French cooperation to defend multilateralism more efficiently than alone. Jang Jianguo, Director of the Chinese State Council Information Office and former deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China, highlighted that communication between the two civilisations, each with their own culture and wisdom, was the best way to achieve both French and Chinese dreams. Dominique de Villepin, former French Prime Minister, insisted on how important the human part of this dialogue of civilisations remained central in this context of a global crisis affecting political, economic and international model.

The speakers of the first panel were Xiang Yunju, executive vice-president of the China Literature and Art Foundation, Gérard Chesnel, former Minister-Councellor at the French Embassy to China and former French Ambassador to the Philippines, Luo Guoxiang, lecturer at the International Studies Institute of the Wuhan University, Deborah Furet, development director at the EHESS, Liu Ye, Chinese actor and knight of the French Order of Arts and Letters, Philippe Barret, French writer, and Han Yuhai, lecturer at the Chinese College of the Beijing University.

The panellists of the second session were Jean-Christophe Bas, Chair of the Dialogue of Civilisations Institute and former Director of Strategy and Development at the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Meng Man, lecturer at the History and Culture Institute of the Minzu University of China, Emmanuel Dupuy, President of the Prospective and Security in Europe Institute, Zhao Xiaoxing, assistant director and researcher at the Documentation Institute of the Dunhuang Academy, Alexandre Del Perugia, actor and director of the National Conservatoire of Circus and Mimes, and Shen Jian, President of the Chinese Association of research on the history of France and deputy director of the Academic Advisory Council of the Literature College of the Zhejiang University.

The third panel gathered Liu Shaowen, deputy director at the Research on the Cyberspace Institute of China, Emmanuel Lincot, lecturer at the Catholic Institute of Paris and expert in Chinese politics and history of art, Feng Ying, director of the Chinese National Ballet and knight of the French Order of Arts and Letters, Jean-François Di Meglio, President of Asia Centre, Yuan Min, CEO of Tencent, and François Quentin, former President of the administration council of Huawei Technologies France.

The Bridge Tank co-hosts the seminar: ‘China: Which questions for the future?’

Posted on 13 October 201916 December 2021 by the_bridge_tank

The Bridge Tank co-organised with the Chinese Embassy in France a seminar on the 11th of October 2019, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of economic reforms and the China and the 55th anniversary of the implementation of French-Chinese diplomatic relations. This seminar took place in Brongniart Palace and gathered French and Chinese politicians and experts. This seminar was the occasion for many exchanges and debates, between the speakers and the public and was opened by Hubert Védrine, former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, former Diplomatic Advisor to the French President, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, former French Ambassador to China, Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to France, and Joël Ruet, President of The Bridge Tank.

Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, Cheng Guoqiang, lecturer at the Tongji University of Shanghai, Emmanuel Hache, researcher at the French Institute of Petroleum, Jean-Claude Beaujour, Vice President of France-Amériques et board member of The Bridge Tank, and Jean-François Di Meglio, President of Asia-Centre at Sciences Po Paris, were keynote speakers of the first session of The Bridge Tank’s Seminar. Maurice Gourdalt-Montagne insisted on the necessity China has to confirm its place in the international system, notably through Eurasian agreements and structures. Jean-Claude Beaujour argued that Sino-European cooperation was key to the European Union, especially in the context of a Sino-American trade war and distrust. Jean-François Di Meglio explained how imortant it is for China to trust more than the international system and the benefits it could obtain through it.

The General Eric de la Maisonneuve, President of the Strategy Society, Zhao Chen, Director of the European Diplomacy Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Justin Vaïsse, Director General of the Paris Peace Forum, Deng Haochen, lecturer in Political Sciences at the Fudan University of Shanghai, and Emmanuel Dupuy, chairman of the Prospective and Security in Europe Institute, were keynote speakers of the second session of The Bridge Tank’s seminar: “China: which questions for the future?” General Eric de la Maisonneuve argued that more Sino-French cooperation is a key element for Africa’s economic development. Justin Vaïsse argued that China needed to be a key actor in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, especially regarding its ability to gather states into a community capable of taking important mesures. Emmanuel Dupuy added that the Sino-French cooperation must be the starting point of the rebuilding of the international system; as well as the reinforcement of regionalism in international discussion.

A press conference with Lu Shaye was held following The Bridge Tank’s seminar, quoted notably in CGTN’s “60’ Le Grand Journal’.

A working lunch on international affairs around Maurice Gourdault-Montagne

Posted on 20 June 201927 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

On June 19, 2019, France-Amériques and The Bridge Tank, represented by Jean-Claude Beaujour and Joël Ruet, co-organised a working lunch on international current affairs around Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, Secretary General of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of the “Transatlantic Talks” series.

Eric de Rothschild, Irina Bokova, Claire Martin, Anne-Sophie Bradelle, who was about to join the Elysée Palace team, and Pierre Haski, renowned journalist and President of Reporters without borders, were among the special guests invited by The Bridge Tank to the working lunch.

Discussing Sustainable Development & Innovation at the Western Returned Scholar Association’s annual meeting

Posted on 17 May 201926 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

From May 15-17, 2019, the Western Returned Scholars Association hosted a side conference to the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations titled “Sustainable Development: Green Collaboration and Innovation”.

The keynote speakers of this conference included The Bridge Tank’s president Joël Ruet, Mohan Munasinghe, former Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, Nara Luvsan, Senior Programme Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme, and Li Zhijian, former Chairman of the Academic Committee of the School of Information Science and Technology of the Tsinghua University.

Joël Ruet also intervened in a panel discussion where he addressed the considerable change that the opportunity of direct high-speed trains between China and Europe would represent for passengers and human exchanges.

The Bridge Tank participates in the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilisations

Posted on 16 May 201926 June 2023 by the_bridge_tank

The Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations took place on May 15, 2019 in Beijing. For this event, Chinese President Xi Jinping invited heads of state and government and high representatives from around the world. The Bridge Tank was invited to attend this event and to give a speech at the official Intellectual Forum of the Conference gathering prominent thought leaders.

The conference was inaugurated by Xi Jinping in an opening ceremony which took place at Beijing National Stadium.

During the Official Economic Conference organised as part of this forum, Joël Ruet, Chairman of The Bridge Tank was a keynote speaker in a session titled “Asian solutions to benefit the people.” The roundtable event was chaired by Wang Xiaohui, Editor-in-chief of the China Internet Information Centre. Among the other keynote speakers of this session were Li Daokui, Dean of the Institute for the Chinese Economic Practice and Thinking at the Tsinghua University, Hu Zhijian, President of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, and Nakajima Atsushi, Chairman of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry.

During this discussion, Joël Ruet advocated for a « learning state » between Japan, China and India for technology dissemination and exchanged with the other panellists on the massification of green technologies in China.

During the official gala dinner, The Bridge Tank’s chairman also had the opportunity to exchange with Chinese Vice-Minister of Education Du Zhanyuan. They were both at the official table with Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Yasushi Akashi, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

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.