China APEC Academy was officially established on April 26, 2002. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Qian Qichen, Vice-Premier of the State Council of China, attended and addressed the ceremony. High-ranking officials from government departments including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, the State Economic and Trade Commission, Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, News and Publication General Administration, Office for Restructuring the Economic Systems of the State Council, China Council for the Promotions of International Trade and Tianjin Municipal Government were present at the event. The participants also included the President of Nankai University (the university where the academy is located), the diplomatic envoys of relevant APEC member economies, scholars and experts on APEC studies, as well as entrepreneur members of APEC China Enterprises'  Assembly.

China APEC Academy is aimed at conducting specialized studies on APEC and the related issues. Supported by the facilities and resources of Nankai University, the academy will be an organic combination of government departments, enterprises and Institutions of higher education. Professor Gong Zhankui, Director of APEC Study Canter of China at Nankai University, is the first executive dean of the academy to be appointed. The establishment of the academy was announced during the Shanghai APEC Ministerial meeting in October 2001.

In the past few years, APEC, with the joint efforts of APEC member economies, has not only made substantial progress on TILF but also great achievements in the aspect of ECOTECH. APEC Agenda for Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21st Century began to be executed in 1998. The APEC High Level Meeting on Human Capacity Building was held in Beijing on 15 – 16 May 2001. In the same year, 16 APEC member economies submitted their ECOTECH Individual Action Plans (EAPs) focusing on theme of HRD.

On the 9th APEC Economic Leaders meeting held in Shanghai in October 2001, President Jiang Zemin reaffirmed the importance of human capacity building to the future economic development of APEC members in his address. He called for the engagement of al key stakeholders in the region and, in particular, the establishment of the partnership of government, business, academic and education institutions for this purpose. In this sense, the foundation of China APEC Academy is not only one of the achievements of "APEC China Year" but also a significant follow-up activity in response to APEC economic leaders' initiative. The academy will play an important role in promoting the human capacity building of China and make contribution to the ECOTECH development of APEC.

Established in 1919, Nankai University is a comprehensive university with international fame. It is also the alma mater of the beloved late Premier Zhou En Lai. The economic study of Nankai University has a long history as well as a well-staffed faculty, and it is now among the strongest of all domestic universities. With the support of Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affaires, Ministry of Foreign
Trade & Economic Cooperation and directly sanctioned by the Ministry of Education, APEC Study Centre of China at Nankai University was officially inaugurated in March 1995, as a follow-up to the then APEC Leader's Education Initiative (ALEI). The main tasks of the Centre are focused on undertaking and coordinating APEC-related studies, providing consulting services for the government, and carrying out academic exchanges with APEC study institutions of other APEC members.

In recent years, APEC Study Centre of Nankai University has created a new style of work by organizing and coordinating nationwide research network, inviting senior government officials of China to be part-time professors and periodically holding international symposiums. In this way, the Centre has been able to widen the influence of the APEC study around China on the one hand, and to ensure the high quality of the research outcomes on the other hand. In view of its accomplishments obtained in the past, APEC Study Centre of Nankai University got its first entry of being selected as one of the fifteen National Social Science Research Bases of China in 1999.

As a national-level academic institution, China APEC Academy will make good use of the advantages of academic and management resources of Nankai University. The academy will also be an institution with multiple functions such as undertaking theoretical and practical studies on APEC by organizing and promoting common academic institutions of other APEC member economies as well; providing consultation for member enterprises of APEC China Enterprises'  Assembly; training advanced personnel for government departments and enterprises; enhancing academic exchanges among APEC members; as well as strengthening collection and accumulation of APEC-related information and materials.

As President Jiang Zemin has pointed out, APEC is undoubtedly playing a positive role in promoting regional economic development and prosperity, and China is determined to continuously take an active part in Asia-Pacific economic co-operation. The establishment of China APEC Academy is an important measure to push forward the results obtained during the Shanghai APEC meeting last year. The academy will add to China’s social and economic development by making good use of higher education institutions and taking into consideration the demands of both government and businesses. Basing on academic exchanges and cooperation with experts and scholars of other APEC member economies, China APEC Academy is also intended to make its contribution to fulfil the common goals of APEC.

For more information, you can click: user.nankai.edu.cn/apec/index.htm
 

Back to Top