Beijing Women's Federation

The eighth training session on women’s capability involving civil diplomacy was jointly held by Beijing Women's Federation (BWF) and the Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office from September 20 to 22 to comprehensively implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), grasp a deep understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and facilitate the building of the capital city into an international exchange center. The three-day training session was undertaken by the Beijing Women's International Center (BWIC), the Beijing Women Cadres’ School and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). It brought together 60 people, including backbone forces in charge of foreign affairs work from women's federations in Beijing and Hebei, and representatives of the working committees on women in the Beijing branches of non-Communist Parties and relevant women's organizations.

A group photo of attendees of the training session on women's diplomatic capability

In her speech at the opening ceremony of the training session, Vice-President of the BWF Tan Hong said that it is the common wish and aspiration of Chinese and foreign people to quickly resume international exchanges and cooperation and achieve win-win cooperation and that it is of paramount importance to fully grasp new requirements of civil diplomacy in the new era, explore new approaches for women's organizations to embrace opportunities and challenges, and tackle actual problems. Tan further said that the training incorporated its curricular arrangement into the education campaign on the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, hoping to deliver tangible results in the implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, unite and lead women in making unique contributions to the country's general diplomacy and the capital city's high-quality development in the new era. Yang Dan, deputy Party secretary and president of BFSU, attended and addressed the opening ceremony as well. He gave an introduction to the university's teaching and research resources and noted that the university was willing to fully leverage its strength as a training base for civil diplomacy in the capital city and expand its cooperation with BWF in the years ahead.

Tan Hong (L), vice-president of the Beijing Women's Federation, and Yang Dan, deputy Party secretary and president of Beijing Foreign Studies University, attend and address the opening ceremony.

Wu Tao, deputy director of the planning department of the Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, explained to attendees about the essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and the achievements made by Beijing in becoming an international exchange center, and underscored the direction of civil diplomacy in adhering to China's overall security outlook and advancing the capital city's high-quality development. Xie Tao, dean and professor of the BFSU School of International Relations and Diplomacy, talked about the development trend of China-US relations and their influence on the international landscape. Zhou Xinyu, vice-dean and professor of the BFSU Academy of Regional and Global Governance, spoke about the importance of women-related issues in global governance and expounded on the usefulness of putting oneself in the other's shoes in cross-cultural communication with specific cases. Li Youwen, vice-dean of the BFSU Academy of Regional and Global Governance, related her working experience as an assistant to the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to share with trainees about the rules and methods adopted by international agencies in solving difficulties and forge consensus, and talk about the competence relevant personnel should possess when voicing their views at international conferences. Zhou Jiali, an associate professor with the Department of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs Management at China Foreign Affairs University, lectured participants on international etiquette in such scenarios as high-level foreign affairs reception and international meetings from the perspectives of speaking, behavior and clothing.

Experts give lectures during the training session 

During the last leg of the training session, attendees paid a visit to the Women and Children Services Center in Haidian district, listened to an introduction about its reception of the first ladies of foreign countries like Mozambique and Sierra Leone, and held talks with managers of the center about procedures of foreign affairs reception. Attendees said that the training event was useful for them to expand personal horizons and bolster their confidence, adding that they will take it as a new starting point to position themselves and enhance personal capabilities in international exchanges.

Trainees take part in various activities during the training session.

The training session was integral to efforts taken by the Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office to advance personnel training in the building of the capital city into an international exchange center. In its next step, BWF will double its efforts in ideological guidance and talent training over women-oriented foreign exchanges, further improve training systems, enrich training content, innovate training methods, and pool the strength of women in the participation of civil diplomacy toward the high-quality development of the capital city.