Herman Van Rompuy’s congratulatory letter to GYLD 2021 Annual Forum

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

First of all, I am honored to be invited to address the 7th China & Globalization Forum and the First Global Young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) Annual Forum. I am pleased to see experts, scholars and young leaders in various fields from all corners of the world. I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the opening of the forums. I am happy to see that the Europe Asia Center is partnering up with the Center for China and Globalisation.

In a globalized world we face multiple challenges of which the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, the decline of multilateralism are just a few. Global forums  like the China & Globalization Forum and the Global Young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) Annual Forum, promote exchanges and understanding between different cultures, regions, countries and economic blocks. They maintain the momentum of multilateral cooperation. They provide platforms of cross fertilization of ideas and opinions which eventually will build the foundation of a more globally governed world.

Only when the individual countries in the world appreciate the necessity to work together to help each other to strengthen cooperation for example in global public health governance can we overcome the current Covid pandemic and restore people’s normal lives and revitalize the world economy. We therefore need to support the World Health Organization to play a more critical role in response to the epidemic. The same multilateral approach is needed for the implementation of the Paris Accord on climate change. More and more countries and regions are increasingly impacted by rising sea levels, frequent extreme weather, more increased risk of infectious diseases, and by its human and economic consequences.

Multilateral cooperation remains a successful and tested model for global progress. The EU always has multilateralism and dialogue among its core values. In the face of an emerging multipolar world, the EU has adopted an inclusive and cooperative attitude. China is now developing very rapidly and has a growing influence on the international stage. The EU and China are ready to play their full part for a healthier, cleaner and more prosperous world. We believe in the usefulness of meaningful interactions between young Chinese scholars and business leaders and their counterparts in the European Union, the United States and in other economies. This is the only and sure way to create a climate conducive to a multilateral response to today’s global challenges .

I have learned that the Global Young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) Annual Forum 2021 aims to build an international platform that encourages youth dialogue, promotes youth exchanges, and spreads youth voices.

The dialogue will encourage young global leaders to share the valuable good practices and experiences of countries around the world. And as the pandemic is not yet over, sharing health best practices and experiences would be most welcome.

The future belongs to young people, and building a better world requires continuous joint efforts from generation to generation in order to contribute to achieving a better future for humankind.

I wish the 7th China & Globalization Forum and Global Young Leaders Dialogue Annual Forum 2021 a smooth convening and every success! Let me thank the organizers for their initiative.

Herman Van Rompuy

President Emeritus of European Council

Former Prime Minister of Belgium