The third South-South Education Program for Economics and Finance kicks off in Beijing on May 21. The program, co-founded by the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation, South-South Education Foundation and the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University (PBCSF), attracted 26 distinguished senior government officials and private sector elites from 23 developing countries including the United Nations this year. Started in 2016, the program has connected 50 leaders from 39 developing countries and regions.
Wu Xiaoling, Chairwoman and Dean of Tsinghua PBCSF, extended a warm welcome to the program participants on behalf of the School. She said that the main purpose of the program is to promote the “Belt and Road" Initiative and support South-South cooperation, encourage financial education and financial knowledge in developing countries, strengthen communication with Global South countries, and share the "China Experience". It is precisely because of the successful reform and smooth progress of the financial market while preventing financial risks and maintaining stability of the financial market that China has been able to achieve economic development and promote the fair and balanced growth of the wealth of the people. The important mission of the program participants is to learn from China’s financial development in Reform and Opening-up, and to find a development path fitting for their own country which also respects universal laws.
In his speech, Cai Esheng, President of Finance Center for South-South Cooperation, said that South-South cooperation and the “Belt and Road Initiative” are all important ways to achieve sustainable development goals. “Building a common community of human destiny” is one of the basic strategies for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. By inviting Chinese scholars and bankers to share China's financial development experience, the program serves as a platform for financial leaders from developing countries to understandhkh China on a deeper level and promote mutual understanding, respect and trust.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government of Uganda, Benjamin Kumumanya, made a speech as the class representative. Kumumanya said that Uganda, similar to other developing countries, hopes to promote economic development, institutional reform, and improvement of the legal system. In particular, Uganda seeks to better advocate the development of its rural areas. He is looking forward to gaining more wisdom through learning about China’s political and economic development at Tsinghua PBCSF which he will bring back home and apply it to Uganda’s national development strategy. Benjamin Kumumanya believes that all other program participants are also looking forward to applying what they will have learned over the course of the next week in order to make their countries and communities better.
With the 40th anniversary of Reform and Opening-up and the expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative, China is more than willing to share its experience of development with the world.
The program aims to provide a platform for experience exchange and bilateral and multilateral cooperation among member states under the South-South cooperation framework.
This year’s program ran from May 18 to 27. Participants attended lectures given by Chinese financial experts on the development of China’s economy and finance, and also had a chance to visit places such as the Forbidden City Museum and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
