On November 14th, Jiangsu Society of Urban Economics and Jiangsu Normal University jointly held the forum of “Belt & Road Strategy and Construction of Cities and Towns along the East Longhai Railway” in Xuzhou. The forum was attended by former vice governor of Jiangsu province Ruilin Wu, Xuzhou mayor Min Zhu, director of Foreign Economic Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission Jiyao Bi, Jiangsu Society of Urban Economics president (former vice president of Provincial Party School) Mingsheng Zhou, Jiangsu Society of Philosophy and Social Sciences vice president Zhishun Xu, and Jiangsu Normal University president GuiHong Hua. Mingsheng Zhou presided over the opening ceremony.

Jiangsu Normal University president GuiHong Hua delivered a speech at the opening ceremony on behalf of the university. He congratulated the success of the forum, and introduced briefly the basic situation of the university and achievements in development in recent years, as well as the strategy research of Belt & Road and relevant measures for serving our country and regions. President Hua pointed out that the university got a significant improvement in terms of scientific research ability in recent years. Since the proposal of national strategy of Belt & Road, the university has done a lot of work about the strategy, especially the construction of Belt & Road Institute working with Xuzhou government. The university will strengthen the cooperation further with the local government to provide implementing solutions to problems.

The mayor Min Zhu introduced the background and significance of the forum. As the centric city of Huaihai economic region and important node in Belt & Road strategy in Jiangsu province, Xuzhou is facing lots of opportunities and challenges. He pointed out that Huaihai economic region covers Jiangsu, shandong, Henan and Anhui. How to establish a provincial coordination mechanism, promote the regional development and improve the economic weakness and build a well-off society is the function of Belt & Road and the purpose of the forum. He hopes that experts and scholars can provide suggestions to xuzhou, Huaihai economic region and cities along the east LongHai Railway.

Vice president Zhishun Xu gave a speech on behalf of Jiangsu Society of Philosophy and Social Sciences. He introduced the overall planning of Xuzhou in Belt & Road strategy and reiterated the significance of the forum. After the opening ceremony, former vice governor of Jiangsu province Ruilin Wu, director of Foreign Economic Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission Jiyao Bi and 10 experts and scholars from universities and research institutes gave keynote speeches on strategy of Belt & Road, construction of cities along east Longhai Railway and economic development orientation of Xuzhou etc. Prof. Feng Zhang, honorary president of Jiangsu Economic Society and dean of Jiangsu Urban Development Institute presided over the forum.