Co-sponsored by All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Seminar on Diplomacy and Economy was opened in Beijing on the morning of December 17, 2004. Over 60 private entrepreneurs, scholars, people from the economic community and diplomats participated in the seminar to discuss issues on how to further strengthen economic diplomacy and support enterprises to "go global" and serve the building of a better-off society.

Assistant Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng and Vice Chairman Cheng Lu of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce addressed the opening ceremony on two respective topics: Vigorously Strengthen Economic Diplomacy to Serve the Building of a Better-off Society in an All-round Manner, and Steady the Pace of Going Global. Lu Guozeng noted that with the development of the situation, diplomacy is facing increasingly heavier task to safeguard the economic interests of the nation and promote domestic development while ensuring national sovereignty and security. The seminar is aimed at introducing the situation and the task of diplomatic work, and the overall thinking of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for economic diplomacy, understanding the difficulties faced by private enterprises during the course of going global, exploring and discussing the support that the diplomatic departments can render to help private enterprises carry out the "going global" strategy. Cheng Lu expressed in his address that such seminar is necessary to strengthen the mutual understanding and exchanges between diplomatic departments and private enterprises. In addition, President Yang Zilin of the Export-Import Bank of China, Vice Chairman Wang Yusuo of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Deputy Director General Yue Xiaoyong of the Department of Policy Planning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered reports on three respective topics: Give Full Play to the Unique Role of Import and Export Banks and Vigorously Push forward the Diplomatic Work in the New Time, Accelerate the Internationalisation Process of Private Enterprises by virtue of Diplomatic Resources, External Environment China Faces and How Diplomacy can Serve the Building of a Better-Off Society in an All-Round Manner. Representatives were immersed in insightful analysis and brought forward their views to some questions from time to time.

Participating representatives visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with great interest in the afternoon. Kong Quan, Director General of the Information Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a brief introduction to the work of the ministry, embassies, and consulates by means of multi-media demonstrations. He also took questions of common concern in an in-depth but easy manner, such as international issues and the diplomatic policies of China. Huang Ping, Deputy Director General of the Department of Consular Affairs explained how consular protection work serves the economic construction with typical cases and put forward some specific suggestions for enterprises to go global. Representatives felt that the suggestions were highly targeted and timely.

In the Exhibition Hall of the History of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the archives personnel made a vivid and lively interpretation. Representatives strolled in the historic picture scroll, understood the development and changes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, experienced the brilliance of the Chinese diplomacy over the past 55 years, and exclaimed over the close relationship between diplomatic work and the economic construction.

In the Olive Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which symbolizes world peace, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing held friendly meetings with participating representatives who had just finished talks with foreign guests, and made passionate remarks. He extended his gratitude to the entrepreneurs for their contribution to the economic construction of the motherland and their support for economic diplomacy and introduced the recent progress of the diplomatic work. He indicated that the seminar is a new trial to conduct economic diplomacy in a new phase and it is of great significance to the implementation of the guideline that diplomacy should serve the building of a better-off society in an all-round manner and to the strengthening of the coordination between economic work and diplomatic work. The visiting guests echoed Minister Li's remarks with warm applause and took photos with Minister Li.

Participating representatives sang high praise for the selection of theop tics and the thoughtful arrangement of the seminar. They believed that private enterprises are faced with three major problems during the course of going global and participating in global competition: shortage of authoritative information channels, lack of internationalized talents and ever-increasing political and security risks. The seminar is timely. It is not only beneficial for diplomatic departments to understand the real needs of private enterprises when they step out of China, but also beneficial for private enterprises to better understand the international situation and the macro-picture of the Chinese diplomacy. It bears practical significance to lead private enterprises to participate in the implementation of the "going global" strategy.

The seminar will last for 2 days. On December 18, participants will continue to focus on the theme of diplomacy and economy and panel discussions will be conducted.