A forum was held at Tsinghua University in Beijing on Saturday to review and summarize practices aimed at modernizing the national governance system and capacity. The goal is to promote sustainable progress in modern governance across government, economic, social, and global aspects.

A photo captures the Modern Governance Forum being held at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Nov. 11, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Tsinghua University]

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, emphasized that the challenges and opportunities encountered during the modernization process present practical and urgent issues for global public governance. Therefore, the forum aims to explore ways to create a more open, inclusive, collaborative, and diverse governance model within the context of modernization, effectively addressing global challenges and promoting global development.

Sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Public Administration Society, the Modern Governance Forum was organized by the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University (Tsinghua SPPM). It convened distinguished scholars and practitioners from home and abroad to discuss modern governance, providing academic support to advance world-class public management disciplines. The forum also aimed to accelerate Chinese modernization and contribute wisdom to building a global community with a shared future. Peng Gang, vice president and provost of Tsinghua University, presided the opening of the event.

Gao Yunlong, chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, noted in his speech that promoting high-quality development through modern governance requires a high-level talent system. He also pointed out that fostering a new development pattern through modern governance necessitates more in-depth communication and cooperation. Additionally, advancing high-level opening-up through modern governance requires a broader global perspective.

John L. Thornton, executive chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation and chair emeritus of the Brookings Institution, stressed the need for improved communication between China and the world, especially the United States. He noted that high-quality policy content from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government often goes unnoticed. For instance, in the U.S., senior officials across various fields rarely see or read such material. Thornton hopes the SPPM can become a central hub for disseminating this content. He also suggested inviting top U.S. public policy scholars, officials, business leaders, and students to China to learn about the country's actual situation and showcase the effectiveness of the Chinese system. Thornton's vision includes making the Tsinghua SPPM a premier source in China for insights into the views of ordinary Americans on China, U.S.-China relations, the Chinese people, and the Chinese government.

"I do not think there is any governmental system in the world that executes its plans to a higher, or more predictable standard than the Chinese," Thornton said. "This is something highly concrete which you have to teach the world. In doing so, you would help others raise their competency level and build relationships of trust which we so desperately need."

Since the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, China has made significant advancements over the past decade. The national governance system has continually improved, and governance capacity has markedly increased. As a key component of modern development, China has pursued a more proactive opening-up strategy, actively participated in the Belt and Road Initiative, and transformed it into an internationally acclaimed public good and cooperation platform. This has led to a more extensive and profound opening-up approach. Starting in 2022, "deepening the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity" has become a primary goal for China's next five years of development. The vision is for the fundamental modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity by 2035, aligning with the broader goal of socialist modernization.

Li Baorong, president of the Chinese Public Administration Society, is dedicated to collaborating with Tsinghua University and global colleagues to advance research on governance and government functions. His focus includes an in-depth exploration of issues such as algorithms, ethics, security, and rights in the context of new technologies. This research aims to understand the transformative impact on government functions and governance methods in the era of digital intelligence, green initiatives, and technological empowerment. Addressing global governance challenges, especially on key United Nations agendas like development assistance, public health, environmental protection, and climate change, Li suggested intensifying international exchanges and cooperation. He also emphasized providing globally valuable public goods and offering robust ideological, theoretical, and strategic support for China's positive contributions to global public governance, contributing to the well-being of humanity.

Guests pose for a group photo at the Modern Governance Forum held at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Nov. 11, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Tsinghua University]

The forum later split into two sub-forums: "Governance Modernization and State Development" and "Public Governance and Global Governance," presided by Zheng Yadong, executive vice president and secretary general of the 8th Council of the Chinese Public Administration Society and Peng Zongchao, Party secretary of Tsinghua SPPM, respectively. Notable speakers at the sub-forums included Ma Jiantang, deputy director of the Committee for Economic Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC); Paul Romer, a Nobel laureate in economics; Tam Yiu-chung, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies; Yan Jirong, vice president of the Chinese Public Administration Society; Hu An'gang, dean of the Institute of Contemporary China Studies at Tsinghua University; Jiang Xiaojuan, president of the China Society of Industrial Economics; Irina Bokova, former director-general of UNESCO; Yan Jingming, dean of the School of Public Administration and Policy at Renmin University of China; Danny Quah, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore; and Xue Lan, distinguished professor of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University.

Zhu Xufeng, dean of Tsinghua SPPM and vice president of the Chinese Public Administration Society, concluded the forum by summarizing experts' opinions and discussions. He highlighted that modern national governance construction is not solely about economic growth. It involves balancing the relationship between the government and the market, ensuring effective resource allocation, promoting fair market competition, fostering innovation, and strengthening international cooperation. In the era of emerging technologies, public governance requires an actively agile approach to modernization. Additionally, as global governance enters a new stage, characterized by competitions and collaborations around technological dominance, it reshapes the pattern of international governance.

"How to adapt to the historical trend of economic globalization and the era's requirements for global governance reform is crucial," Zhu said. "Working together with the international community to advance the reform and development of the global governance system, and gradually transforming the grand blueprint of building a global community with a shared future into concrete implementation paths, is of paramount importance in today's turbulent international situation, especially with the widening development gap."

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