In order to fully implement the spirit of the important speeches delivered by Xi Jinping at the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the delegation of China Renmin University Press (CRUP) recently visited Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to hold the launching ceremony of the Uzbek edition (Volume 1) of the “Studies on Chinese Modernization ” Series in Uzbekistan, and to hold the 2023 Summit Forum of the B&R Publishing Cooperative & the 1st China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperative to effectively promote cultural exchanges and cooperation among countries under the Belt and Road Initiative.
On the afternoon of October 22, 2023, the launching ceremony of the Uzbek edition (Volume 1) of the “Studies on Chinese Modernization” Series was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The event was organized by CRUP and Silk Road Publishing of Uzbekistan. Zhang Donggang, Party Secretary of Renmin University of China, together with Saidmuxtor Saidqosimov, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Tulyaganov, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Uzbekistan and President of Silk Road Publishing, Umida Teshaboyeva, Director of the Alisher Navoi National Library of Uzbekistan, and Li Yongqiang, Chair of Press Council, Chairman of the Board and President of CRUP, attended the event and delivered speeches.
After Chairman Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, CRUP immediately implemented the spirit of Chairman Xi Jinping’s important speech and released the Uzbek edition (Volume 1) of the “Studies on Chinese Modernization” Series in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to tell the Uzbek people the story of Chinese modernization and to share the successful experience of Chinese modernization. The “Studies on Chinese Modernization” Series, edited by Zhang Donggang, Party Secretary of Renmin University of China, and Liu Wei, former president of Renmin University of China, brings together the university’s high-level philosophy and social science research team to conduct in-depth interpretation on the theoretical and practical issues of “Chinese modernization”. The Uzbek edition includes four books: Chinese Path to Modernization, High Quality Education System and People’s All-Round Development, Digital Economy in the New Journey of Modernization, and Study on Modernization of National Security System and Capability. The rights of the Series have been licensed abroad and the books will be published in English, Kazakh, Uzbek and Malay.
In addition, in order to enrich and develop the China-related content of the Silk Road Library Alliance, Renmin University of China and the Alisher Navoi National Library of Uzbekistan jointly set up the Renmin University of China-Uzbekistan China Bookshelf, and donated the first batch of 32 titles in 80 copies published by CRUP, including the “Read and Understand the New Age” Series, Universities Under Fire, and “Studies on Chinese Modernization” Series (Chinese and Uzbek editions).
On October 24, with the theme of “Deepening International Publishing Cooperation and Implementing the Global Civilization Initiative”, the 2023 Summit Forum of the Belt and Road Publishing Cooperative & the 1st China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperative were held in Astana, Kazakhstan. The forum was included in the list of multilateral cooperation achievements of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which is another landmark achievement of CRUP in the joint construction of Belt and Road projects.
The forum was guided by the National Press and Publication Administration, hosted by Renmin University of China and Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan, and undertaken by CRUP, Press Center of Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan, the B&R Publishing Cooperative, and the International Cultural Exchange Academic Alliance. Zhang Donggang, Party Secretary of Renmin University of China, and Xing Fangfang, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan, attended and addressed the forum. Serik Bikhanovich Makysh, Vice President for Scientific Research of Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan, Aitmagambetov Duman Ramazanovich, Vice President for International Cooperation of Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan, and Li Yongqiang, Chair of Press Council, Chairman of the Board and President of CRUP, attended the forum. More than 70 representatives of publishing institutions, teachers and students from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, attended the forum.
Zhang Donggang said in his speech that the convening of this forum is an important measure for the publishing industry to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative and to further implement the strategic requirements of high-quality co-construction of the Belt and Road. It is hoped that CRUP and the B&R Publishing Cooperative can continue to strengthen its important role as a bridge and a link. Xing Fangfang highly commended CRUP’s initiation in the establishment of the B&R Publishing Cooperative, which has built a pragmatic and efficient national cooperation platform for publishing cultural exchanges between China and countries along the Belt and Road. Serik Makysh said that CRUP and Eurasian National University Press have always maintained close cooperative relations, and have exchanged visits for many times and jointly held cultural exchange activities at the Eurasian International Book Fair. He looked forward to more extensive and deeper exchanges and cooperation between the two universities and presses in the future. Li Yongqiang, as the Chairman of the B&R Publishing Cooperative, delivered a report on the development achievements of the Cooperative under the title “Promoting Cultural Connectivity and Mutual Assistance, Achieving Publishing Prosperity for the Belt and Road Countries in a Hight-Quality Way”.
This forum will push the publishing cooperation of the Belt and Road” countries to a higher level and a wider area. Many important results were achieved during the forum:
Firstly, under the framework of the B&R Publishing Cooperative, the China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperative was established, which received positive responses from publishers in the five Central Asian countries, who together issued a joint declaration.
Secondly, the Kazakhstan Branch of CRUP was officially opened, forming a new mechanism for Sino-Kazakh publishing cooperation under the concept of mutual learning of civilizations and win-win cooperation, and building a new ecology of Sino-Kazakh mutual translation and publishing.
Finally, the Kazakh and Uzbek editions of the “Studies on Chinese Modernization” Series (Volume I) have been released to tell the story of Chinese modernization in Central Asian countries and provide reference for the modernization development of Central Asia.
The successful hosting of the Belt and Road Publishing Cooperative Forum 2023 and the first China-Central Asia Publishing Cooperative Forum and a series of related activities fully demonstrates that CRUP has played the active role of participant, practitioner and promoter of the Belt and Road Initiative, endeavored to tell China’s stories, broadcast China’s voice, explain well Chinese characteristics, and has been continuously enhancing the soft power of Chinese culture in the international arena.