The Award Ceremony of 2020 Award on Best Chinese Monograph on Middle Eastern Studies and PKU Award on Outstanding Contribution in Middle Eastern studies, both were set by State of Qatar Chair in Middle Eastern Studies at Peking University (QCMES-PKU), was held in PKU on December 11, 2020.

 

Distinguished guests included Deng Li, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs; Zhai Jun, China's Special Envoy to Middle East, Li Chengwen, Ambassador for Chinese-Arab States Cooperation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA); Xie Xiaoyan, China's Special Envoy to Syria, Yang Fuchang, former Vice Foreign Minister; Wang Shijie and Wu Sike, former China's Special Envoys to Middle East; former Chinese Ambassadors to Middle East countries; and representatives from Department of West Asia and North Africa, MFA, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, World Affairs Press, China Book Press, Xinhua Publishing House, People's Daily Press, and Beijing Science and Technology Publishing Co. Ltd. Presented were Qiu Shuiping, Secretary of Peking University's CPC Committee; Chen Baojian, Vice President of PKU; Ning Qi, Director of Organization Department and Dean of School of Foreign Languages, PKU; Xia Hongwei and Zheng Ruqing, Director and Deputy Director of  PKU Office of International Relations respectively, Fu Zhiming, Vice Dean of School of Foreign Languages, PKU; Lin Fengmin, Director of Department of Arabic Language and Culture, SFL-PKU, and staff and students from SFL-PKU.

 

 

Before the ceremony, Qiu Shuiping met with Deng Li, Yang Fuchang, Zhai Jun and other distinguished guests.

 

Qiu Shuiping extended warm welcome to Deng Li. Peking University boasts time-honored academic traditions in Middle Eastern study, as Qiu noted, the awards set by QCMES-PKU represent the efforts PKU made in accelerating the construction of Double-First Class Initiative and serving the Belt and Road Initiative. Going forward, PKU will focus on base construction, disciplinary development, and talent training in the field of Middle Eastern studies, and give full play to its think-tank advantage as a way to serve China’s develoment strategy. Deng Li, on behalf of MFA and former ambassadors, extended gratitude to PKU for its long-term contributions to promote friendship, cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between China and the Middle Eastern countries.

 

Qiu Shuiping met with Deng Li and other distinguished guests

 

The ceremony was modualted by Wu Bingbing, deputy director of Department of Arabic Language and Culture, and chair professor of QCMES-PKU.

 

Wu Bingbing modulated the ceremony

 

Entrusted by Qiu Shuiping and PKU President Hao Ping, Chen Baojian delivered a welcome speech on behalf of PKU. He emphasized that it was the long-term support from MFA and veteran diplomats that underpinned PKU’s achievements in Middle Eastern studies. Looking into the future, Chen hoped that predecessors and leaders of diplomatic community could continue to help PKU in making more progress in researches on Middle Eastern issues and promoting exchanges between the Chinese civilization and its Arab counterparts. By doing so, PKU is aiming at enriching the connotation of “a community of shared future for mankind”.

 

Deng Li made an address for the ceremony. Now the world is undergoing great changes unseen in a century, so does the Middle Eastern region. This brings new challenges to China’s diplomacy in this area. China’s efforts to fabricate comprehensive regional diplomatic capability must be built on invaluable experiences from diplomatic practices of elder ambassadors, and support from PKU and other think tanks. As the top university in China, as Deng stressed, PKU should entail its responsibility to push forward the Middle Eastern studies and play its part in China’s diplomacy in the Middle East.

 

Deng Li delivered a speech at the ceremony

 

The Review and Analysis of Hot Spots in the Middle East, written by Yang Fuchang, was granted for the Best Chinese Monograph on Middle Eastern studies. Lin Fengmin spoke highly of this book, saying that Mr. Yang endowed fresh insights to this book, which comes from his experience of studying in Egypt and working in the Middle East. This monograph was presented as an exemplar in China's research in this field. World Affairs Press, which published Yang's book, was granted for the Publisher of Best Chinese Monograph on Middle Eastern Studies in 2020.

 

Lin Fengmin announced the Best Monograph Award

 

Ning Qi presented Publisher of Best Chinese Monograph on Middle Eastern studies in 2020

to World Affairs Press

 

Fu Zhiming presented pictures of activities related to the PKU Award on Outstanding Contribution in Middle Eastern studies and introduced to the guests the diplomatic practice experience of the Award winners as well as their support for Peking University's Middle East research.

 

Fu Zhiming introduced the pictures

 

Lin Fengmin announced the winners of PKU Award on Outstanding Contribution in Middle Eastern studies, and winners are: Yang Fuchang, former vice foreign minister; Wang Shijie, former China’s Special Envoy to Middle East, former Chinese Ambassador to Bahrain, Jordan and Iran; An Huihou, former Chinese Ambassador to the Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt; Hua Liming, former Chinese Ambassador to Iran, UAE and Netherlands; Yao Kuangyi, former Chinese Ambassador to Turkey; Liu Baolai, former Chinese Ambassador to UAE and Jordan; Zhao Xuechang, former Chinese Ambassador to Oman; Liu Zhentang, former Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon and Iran; Wu Sike, former China’s Special Envoy to Middle East, former Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Egypt; Yang Honglin, former Chinese Ambassador to Bahrai, Iraq and Saudi Arabia; Gong Xiaosheng, former China’s Special Envoy to Middle East, former Chinese Ambassador to Jordan, Turkey and Palestine; Song Aiguo, former Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt; Xie Xiaoyan, China’s Special Envoy to Syria, former Chinese Ambassador to Iran and  Ethiopia; Gao Youzhen, former Chinese Ambassador to Qatar; Zhai Jun, China’s Special Envoy to Middle East, former vice foreign minister, former Chinese Ambassador to France; Li Chengwen, Ambassador for China-Arab States Cooperation Forum Affairs of the MFA, former Chinese Ambassador to Sudan and Saudi Arabia;  Li Huaxin, former Chinese Ambassador to Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia; Yue Xiaoyong, former Chinese Ambassador to Qatar, Jordan and Ireland.

 

Deng Li and Chen Baojian presented awards to the award-winning guests.

 

On behalf of the winners, Yang Fuchang extended thanks to PKU. As former MFA staff, Yang and other veteran ambassadors excelled in dealing with diplomatic affairs. The diplomatic community and academy of Middle Eastern studies were brought together by concerns on regional situations, the importance of the Middle East, the need of academic community on diplomatic experience, and firm position and discipline of elder ambassadors. Yang and his colleagues will continue to serve China’s researches and diplomacy of the Middle East.

 

Yang Fuchang delivered a speech on behalf of Award winners

Group Photo