Trade, Investments And Development Cooperation In Sino-Dutch Relations

On 8 April 2016, ASCL PhD candidate Agnieszka Kazimierczuk participated in the international conference “Trade, Investments And Development Cooperation In Sino-Dutch Relations” organised by the Dutch Studies Centre (DSC) (Fudan University, Shanghai) together with the Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Shanghai. The conference was organised to mark 10th anniversary of the DSC – a collaboration between the Fudan University and the University of Groningen.

The DSC conference focused on trade, investments and development cooperation in Sino-Dutch relations. It was divided in two sessions. The first session discussed the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative, launched three years ago by Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the aim of boosting international trade on three continents. It investigated the developments of OBOR to date; OBOR’s chances of success; its potential for the development of Asia (including Mongolia and Korea), Africa and Europe; the expected consequences for existing multilateral institutions; and OBOR’s impact on Sino-Dutch relations.

The second conference topic, development cooperation, is also closely linked to the OBOR initiative. In particular, the current shift from aid to trade in the Dutch development assistance. Agnieszka contributed to this panel with a presentation on the history of Dutch development cooperation and the results of Dutch trade and aid policies so far with their implications for China and the Netherlands. The remainder of the panel investigated recent trends in Chinese development policy and China’s attitude towards the UN 2030 agenda.

The conference was held in the stunning Siyuan Hall of Fudan University’s main Guanghua Building. Among the speakers were Prof. Ding Chun (Fudan), Prof. Tjalling Halbertsma (Groningen), Prof. Yin Chen (Fudan), Dr Ingrid d’Hooghe (Clingendael), Dr Jin Ling (China Institute of International Studies), Prof. Zhang Haibing (Shanghai Institute for International Studies), Agnieszka Kazimierczuk (Leiden), Dr Sunkung Choi (Groningen) and Prof. Jan van der Harst (Groningen). The large audience included the Consul General of the Netherlands in Shanghai, Mrs Anneke Adema, and the President of the Board of the University of Groningen, Prof. Sibrand Poppema.

More information:

Conference update from Groningen University
Dutch Studies Centre: Fudan / Groningen