CCG Invited to Speak at Oxford Union and Visit the University of Oxford
CCG | December 17 , 2024On November 27, 2024, Henry Huiyao Wang, Founder & President of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), made history as the first Chinese think tanker to address the Oxford Union, the world’s prestigious debating society, with an unparalleled reputation for bringing international guests and speakers to Oxford. Since 1823, the Union has been promoting debate and discussion not just in Oxford University but across the globe.
Since 1823, the Oxford Union has been promoting debate and discussion not just in Oxford University but across the globe. It has hosted a wide range of influential individuals, including heads of state, government leaders, Nobel laureates, Oscar winners, and world champions. Notable figures such as former U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter, former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, and legendary scientists such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking have all delivered speeches at the Oxford Union, leaving a lasting impact on global thought.
During the event, he was also interviewed by Ebrahim Osman-Mowafy, President of the Oxford Union, and answered questions from the audience.
During the Q&A session, President Henry Huiyao Wang responded to questions from members of the Oxford Union, offering in-depth insights on a wide range of topics, including democracy and human rights in China, Xinjiang and Taiwan, the Belt and Road Initiative, and China-U.S. relations. His remarks provided valuable perspectives to foster an objective understanding and rational discussion of China’s policies within the international community, earning widespread praise and positive feedback from the audience.
Wang Huiyao Speaks at Oxford Union as First Chinese Think Tanker
This landmark exchange attracted widespread attention from academia, think tanks, and the media. During the two-day visit to the University of Oxford, President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao, along with their delegation, received multiple invitations and actively participated in eight high-level academic and cultural activities, including podcast interviews, roundtable discussions, and informal dinner exchanges. Taking advantage of this opportunity, CCG experts engaged in in-depth conversations with renowned scholars, professors, and students from Oxford University. The topics covered included the future development of China’s economy, the evolution of international politics, and the challenges and opportunities in global governance. This exchange contributed to enhancing think tank dialogue and academic collaboration between China and the UK.
Journey to Oxford: An Invitation from the World’s Premier Debating Stage
On November 27, 2024, Henry Huiyao Wang, President of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), became the first Chinese think tank leader ever invited to speak at the Oxford Union, one of the world’s top debating platforms with a history of over 200 years. He delivered a special speech and was interviewed by the President of the Oxford Union, followed by a live Q&A session.
The Oxford Union, as one of the world’s top debating platforms, is renowned for inviting internationally prominent figures to speak or be interviewed at Oxford University, making it a key venue for global intellectual exchange. Founded in the 1820s, it initially started as a student-run society at Oxford University. Over two centuries of development, the Union has not only continued the tradition of intense debates on contemporary major issues but has also become a symbol of intellectual exchange and free expression. Former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan praised it as “the last bastion of free speech.”
In recent years, the Oxford Union has continued to expand its international influence, becoming a platform for speeches by numerous globally influential leaders and public figures. Elites from various fields, including heads of state, government leaders, Nobel laureates, Oscar winners, and world champions, have delivered speeches of profound significance at the Union. Notable figures include former U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, and legendary scientists such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.
In his speech at the Oxford Union, President Henry Huiyao Wang began by providing an in-depth review of China’s historical trajectory since the reform and opening-up, highlighting the personal development and the changing global landscape he experienced, as well as China’s achievements in actively integrating into globalization. He introduced the key role played by the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) as a bridge to promote communication between the East and West, enhancing understanding and cooperation, and showcasing the unique value of think tanks in international cross-cultural dialogue and policy recommendations.
This is the first time in its 200-year history that the Oxford Union has invited a Chinese think tank leader to deliver a speech. It not only showcases President Henry Huiyao Wang’s academic achievements and international influence but also marks a milestone interaction between Chinese think tanks and one of the world’s top debating platforms. This historic exchange highlights the increasingly important role of Chinese think tanks in the international think tank community and on global issues, as well as the broad international recognition they have gained. It also creates new possibilities for further deepening international academic and intellectual exchange.
Videos: Wang Huiyao Spoke at Oxford Union
Visiting the Blavatnik School of Government: Meeting with the Founding Dean and Her Team
During their two-day visit, CCG President Henry Huiyao Wang and CCG Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao were invited to the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. In a modern conference room, they engaged in academic exchanges with Professor Ngaire Woods, the founding dean of the school, and her team. During the dialogue, both sides had a friendly discussion on several important topics, including global governance, international politics, and policy innovation.
Professor Ngaire Woods is the founding Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government and Professor of Global Economic Governance at Oxford University. Her research focuses on how to enhance the governance of organisations, the challenges of globalisation, global development, and the role of international institutions and global economic governance. Ngaire serves on the boards of L’Institut National du Service Public, the Berggruen Institute, and the Stephen A Schwarzman Education Foundation. She is an Independent Non-Executive Director at Rio Tinto, a member of the Alfred Landecker Foundation’s Governing Council. She is a member of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s High Level Advisory Council and sits on the advisory boards of the Hoffman Institute for Business & Society at INSEAD, the Centre for Global Development, the African Leadership Institute, the School of Management and Public Policy at Tsinghua University, and the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy at Cape Town University. She is an Expert Advisor to the Australian Government’s Strengthening Democracy Taskforce and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Complex Risks. She is an honorary governor of the Ditchley Foundation.
The Blavatnik School of Government is a newly established college at the University of Oxford, created in 2010 to address the evolving needs of society and governance. Its mission is not only to focus on governance systems in developed countries but also to actively and continuously engage with the development and governance challenges of poverty-stricken and underdeveloped nations. The school has a strong international atmosphere, with its curriculum covering a wide range of subjects, including humanities, social sciences, law, natural sciences, applied sciences, health, finance, and policy security.
Narrating, Debating, Listening: An Engaging Discussion with Faculty and Students of Oxford University’s International Relations Society
The Oxford University International Relations Society also invited President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao for a discussion on the theme “Leading Debates at Oxford and Beyond.” Todd H. Hall, Director of China Centre of Oxford, along with several doctoral and master’s students from the Oxford University International Relations program, participated in the discussion. The atmosphere was vibrant and rich in academic exchange.
The discussion was held in a historically rich meeting room at the University of Oxford, surrounded by a vast array of books and archives, reflecting the university’s long-standing academic tradition and deep scholarly heritage. During the exchange, President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao shared the achievements of CCG in international exchanges and discussed how debates and dialogues can promote deeper communication between the East and West in areas such as international relations and global governance. Oxford scholars showed great interest in the insights of CCG experts and engaged in in-depth and lively discussions on the shifting global political and economic landscape and China’s role within it.
Professor Hall earned his PhD from the University of Chicago in 2008 and has held postdoctoral fellowships at Princeton and Harvard, as well as visiting scholar appointments at the Free University of Berlin, Tsinghua University in Beijing, and the University of Tokyo. Prior to joining the University of Oxford, Professor Hall held the position of Assistant Professor in Political Science at the University of Toronto (2010-2013). Research interests extend to the areas of international relations theory; the intersection of emotion, affect, and foreign policy; and Chinese foreign policy. Recent publications include articles in International Organization, International Security, International Studies Quarterly, International Studies Review, Political Psychology, Political Science Quarterly, and Security Studies. Professor Hall has also published a book with Cornell University Press, titled Emotional Diplomacy: Official Emotion on the International Stage, which was recently named co-recipient of the International Studies Association’s 2016 Diplomatic Studies Section Book Award.
Meeting Academic Elites: Exploring New Opportunities for Sino-British Academic Cooperation
The University of Oxford, as a globally renowned academic institution, brings together numerous top scholars, many of whom have strong ties with CCG. These scholars not only enjoy high prestige in the international academic community but also play a significant role in advancing Sino-British academic exchange and cooperation. During this visit, President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao had the privilege of engaging in face-to-face, in-depth discussions with two individuals who have extensive influence in international academia: Rana Mitter, a British historian, international relations scholar, and Fellow of the British Academy, and Xiaolan Fu, the first mainland Chinese professor to hold a lifetime position in the social sciences at Oxford University.
Rana Mitter is ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is the author of several books, including Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II (2013) which won the 2014 RUSI/Duke of Westminster’s Medal for Military Literature, and was named a Book of the Year in the Financial Times and Economist. His latest book is China’s Good War: How World War II is Shaping a New Nationalism (Harvard, 2020). His writing on contemporary China has appeared recently in Foreign Affairs, the Harvard Business Review, The Spectator, The Critic, and The Guardian. He has commented regularly on China in media and forums around the world, including at the World Economic Forum at Davos. His recent documentary on contemporary Chinese politics “Meanwhile in Beijing” is available on BBC Sounds. He is co-author, with Sophia Gaston, of the report “Conceptualizing a UK-China Engagement Strategy” (British Foreign Policy Group, 2020). He won the 2020 Medlicott Medal for Service to History, awarded by the UK Historical Association. He previously taught at Oxford, and is a Fellow of the British Academy.
Xiaolan Fu is the Founding Director of the Technology and Management Centre for Development (TMCD), Professor of Technology and International Development, Fellow of Green Templeton College and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and Founder of OxValue.AI. In 2024, Professor Fu was appointed as the director of Oxford Advanced Research Centres (OARC) by the University of Oxford, which wholly owns the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR). She was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the Ten-Member High Level Advisory Group of the UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism and to the Governing Council of the UN’s Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries. She is also a member of the UN SDSN Leadership Council led by Jeffrey Sachs. She is winner of a 2021 Falling Walls Scientific Breakthrough Award, the 2019 winner of the CFA Asia-Pacific Research Exchange Award (CFA Institute), the 2018 winner of the Best Journal Paper of the Year Award (European Academy of International Business), and the 2017 winner of the Best Paper Award (European Association of Management (EURAM) Innovation Strategic Interest Group). Her research interests include innovation, technology and industrialisation; trade, foreign direct investment and economic development; emerging Asian economies; innovation and productivity in the UK/US.
CCG engaged in an inspiring dialogue with the two renowned scholars on the future trends of globalization, international cooperation, and cultural exchange, and shared insights on how to better promote academic interactions between China and the UK in the future.
Youth Association Joins Forces with Think Tank Experts for a Grand Opening of Cutting-Edge Dialogue
In the context of increasingly frequent cultural exchanges and intellectual collisions between countries, a dialogue event jointly organized by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association UK (CSSA-UK) and the Oxford Chinese Students and Scholars Association (Oxford CSSA) was grandly launched at the University of Oxford. The event was hosted by Dr. Deng Jingyuan from Trinity College, Oxford, with President Henry Huiyao Wang as the keynote speaker. Dr. Mabel Lu Miao, Secretary General of CCG, and Senior Fellow Liu Chijin also participated in the dialogue.
As the keynote speaker, President Henry Huiyao Wang vividly outlined China’s increasingly important role in international affairs, particularly its contributions to advancing global governance and economic cooperation. Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao and Senior Fellow Liu Chijin shared insights from the perspective of Chinese think tanks and their practical research experience, discussing CCG’s specific efforts in promoting international cooperation and facilitating Sino-foreign academic exchanges, as well as China’s innovative approaches to addressing global challenges.
The venue was filled to capacity. This dialogue not only served as a high-level exchange but also provided a valuable opportunity for academic communities and students from both China and the UK to learn from each other and inspire new ideas.
The Oxford CSSA is a non-profit, volunteer-based, apolitical, and non-religious student and scholar organization registered at the University of Oxford. Its services cater to Chinese students and scholars in the Oxford area, including those from Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University, and other schools and research institutions.
The CSSA-UK is a nationwide organization representing Chinese students and scholars in the UK, and is one of the largest Chinese community organizations in the country.
Face-to-Face at the Oxford Podcast: Henry Huiyao Wang Speaks Out on International Cooperation and China’s Role
During his visit to the University of Oxford, CCG President Henry Huiyao Wang was interviewed for a podcast by St Antony’s International Review (STAIR), a peer-reviewed journal focused on international affairs. As a modern communication medium, podcasts have become an important platform for academic and policy exchanges due to their convenience and wide audience reach. In this interview, President Wang delved into China’s strategic role in the global economy and international politics, sharing his views on the current international situation, global governance, and Sino-British relations. He emphasized China’s positive contributions to the process of globalization, particularly its efforts in promoting global cooperation, supporting economic recovery, and addressing international challenges.
St. Antony’s International Review (STAIR) is the University of Oxford’s peer-reviewed journal of International Affairs. STAIR publishes two issues each year, commentary pieces and podcast episodes on an ongoing basis, and hosts events during the academic year. Created by graduate students of St. Antony’s College in 2005, STAIR publishes emerging and veteran scholars alike alongside each other and accepts English language submissions from anywhere in the world. STAIR’s budget largely derives from subscription fees courtesy of our partnership with Ingenta Connect. We are further grateful to receive administrative, fundraising, and other financial support from St. Antony’s College and Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), including alumni donations in support of the journal’s transition to open source publication.
At Keble College: A Feast of Intellectual Exchange in the Humanities
During this highly anticipated visit, President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao, along with leaders of the Oxford CSSA and CSSA-UK, also visited the historic Keble College at the University of Oxford for a tour, followed by a traditional dinner at the college.
Since its founding in the 19th century, Keble College has attracted scholars from around the world with its strong academic foundation and unique cultural charm. The college embraces the famous quote by British Romantic poet William Wordsworth, “Plain living, high thinking,” as its motto, embodying a tradition that values idealism and profound reflection, making it one of the most representative academic institutions at the University of Oxford.
During the dinner and college visit, scholars from diverse cultural backgrounds shared their insights and ideas, promoting cross-cultural dialogue in the context of globalization. In this deeply symbolic setting, perspectives from different countries and disciplines intertwined, bringing new pathways of thought and solutions to one another.
A Night of Sino-British Intellectual Exchange: CCG Experts and Oxford Scholars Gather by the Fireplace to Share Global Perspectives
After a full schedule of activities, President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao sat down with professors and scholars from the University of Oxford for dinner, continuing their in-depth academic exchange and intellectual dialogue. The informal atmosphere of the dinner provided an open and relaxed platform for communication, fostering a deeper mutual understanding on multiple levels. The conversation focused on major international political and economic issues, particularly China’s rise and its role in global governance.
CCG experts shared their experiences during their visit to Oxford and collectively stated that how China addresses the challenges of globalization, promotes the Belt and Road Initiative, and navigates its complex relationships with Western powers has become a central topic of discussion among many Oxford scholars. The scholars present generally expressed concern about China’s future development and hoped that through discussions with President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao, they could gain a deeper understanding of how China engages with the world in a proactive manner.
After a series of enriching and dynamic engagements, President Henry Huiyao Wang and Secretary General Mabel Lu Miao concluded their visit to Oxford with great success. From compelling speeches and debates to in-depth academic discussions and informal dinner conversations with Oxford professors and scholars, China’s role in global politics, economics, and culture remained the central theme of interest.
Through multifaceted exchanges, CCG experts shared insights into China’s active role and contributions to global affairs, fostering deeper mutual understanding and consensus. These interactions not only amplified the voice of Chinese think tanks but also offered fresh perspectives and momentum for advancing global governance and international cooperation.
