On the afternoon of May 27, 2023, the annual Academic Celebration Event of the 118th Anniversary of Fudan University was held in the Xianghui Hall for the 57 times. Professor Chen Shangjun of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Professor Wu Xinbo of the Institute of International Studies, Professor Peng Huisheng of the Department of Macromolecular Science, Professor Nie Ming of the School of Life Sciences, and Professor Ying Tianlei of the School of Basic Medical Sciences delivered comprehensive academic presentations based on their research respectively. Xu Zheng, Executive Vice President of Fudan University, presided over the event.
At the beginning of the celebration, Jin Li, President of Fudan University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a keynote speech. To initiate the presentation section, Jin Li gave the certificates of participation in this celebration to the five professors.
Prof. Wu Xinbo delivered a presentation entitled "Exploring the Boundaries of the China-U.S. Competition." Wu pointed out that contemporary China and the U.S. are in a high time of strategic competition, while the macro environment of globalization and global governance and the interaction of China and the U.S. in economies, geopolitics and ideology intensify the competition.
In the midst of a century of unprecedented changes, China-U.S. relations face increasing opportunities and challenges. It is vital to learn from the past and enrich the tools to compete to conduct sustained and quality policy and strategic dialogues. Wu noted that the most urgent task now is to define the boundaries of China-U.S. strategic competition, including the nature of competition, the limits of confrontation and the fields for cooperation. The clarity of the boundaries will provide a plausible framework for handling the China-U.S. relationship and increasing the predictability of the bilateral relationship.
Wu added that the boundaries of the China-U.S. competition are ever-changing and interconnected, and the growth of China's power is a defining factor in bilateral relations. Therefore, China should adhere to its wisdom of peaceful coexistence, as to actively promote international cooperation, participate in the formulation of world rules, replace competition without rules with the one with rules, guide the international rules go in the direction favorable to cooperation, openness and win-win, ease the rise of counter-globalization and anti-globalization and strive to put globalization back on the right track.
Wu Xinbo reminded the audience that in many international political events recently, China has been playing a more crucial role on the international stage and its international influence is growing accordingly. The efforts have laid a solid foundation for China to manage its relations with the U.S. better and carry out great power diplomacy.
After the insightful presentation, the audience was inspired and raised several questions to Prof. Wu. To answer the question, "How to analyze the great power competition and contemporary international political issues from a China-U.S. relations' perspective?" Wu Xinbo replied that China-U.S. relations were beyond a bilateral relationship. China-U.S. relationship was of greater significance, given that a stable China-US relationship could ease regional and international tension.