On Nov. 6, the 10th Anniversary of the Confucius Institute & the 5th China Forum were successfully celebrated and held online, the Confucius Institute is co-built by Jiangsu University and University of Graz. The event came with three sessions: congratulatory remarks, keynote speech and discussion. At the first session, Mr. Li Xiaosi, Ambassador of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Austria, Mr. Hermann Schützenhöfer, Governor of Steiermark, Mr. Mag. Siegfried Nagl, Mayor of Graz, Prof. Dr. Martin Polaschek, President of University of Graz, Mr. Zhao Lingshan, Vice President and Secretary-General of Chinese International Education Foundation, and other Chinese and Austrian representatives celebrated this event via video and letters. Prof. Yan Xiaohong, President of Jiangsu University also shot a video to extend sincere congratulation on the event. His congratulatory letter was collected in commemorative book The Road to the Summit.

Mr. Li Xiaosi hoped that China and Austria could strengthen exchanges in various fields and encouraged Austrian youth to learn Chinese well. Mr. Hermann Schützenhöfer fully affirmed the positive role played by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz over the past decade. Mr. Zhao Lingshan hoped that the Confucius Institute would further promote the exchange and mutual learning between diverse civilizations in the world, enhance national understanding, and make more practical explorations to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. Prof. Yan Xiaohong suggested that the two universities should cooperate more closely in the future, and promote the people-to-people bond and cooperation between China and Austria through language and cultural exchanges.

During the speech and discussion session, experts from China and Austria gave keynote speeches under the theme of “China-EU connectivity and prosperity in the fields of economy, technology, and culture” and they discussed such issues as epidemic prevention and control, climate change, environmental protection, and digital economy. Prof. Chen Yinfei, School of Finance & Economics of Jiangsu University gave a speech entitled Digital Economy and Enterprise Innovation. More than 50 students from School of Management, School of Finance & Economics and Art School of Jiangsu University participated in the forum. At the forum, experts, teachers and students of the two countries exchanged experiences and learned from each other, thus contributing wisdom and solutions to alleviating the impact of the epidemic, promoting economic recovery, and enhancing mutual benefit.

Since its establishment in 2010, the Confucius Institute co-built by Jiangsu University and University of Graz has focused on platform construction and connotative development. Through innovative measures such as the “Digital Confucius Institute”, the Belt and Road High-End forums on China-EU Cooperation and Exchange, and the China-Austria/China-EU Industry, University and Research Cooperative Research Center, the Confucius Institute has continuously improved teaching quality and scale, and expanded academic cooperation. As such the valuable experience has motivated the Confucius Institute to explore the path of distinctive, high-level, and sustainable development and proved that it has played a positive role in enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between China and Austria.