BEIJING, Oct.18 -- A forum among young political leaders from China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries will be held in Beijing this week, as introduced by Zhao Lei, deputy director-general of the Bureau of Eastern European and Central Asian Affairs of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC).

According to Zhao, the fast growing relations between China and CEE countries constitute an important part and represent a new bright spot in the over-all China-Europe relations, and are bringing greater momentum to the latter for continuous and balanced development. During his meeting with 16 CEE state leaders in Poland in April 2012, the then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced 12 measures that China would take to promote friendly cooperation with CEE countries. As one of the measures on the list, the First Young Political Leaders Forum of China and Central and Eastern European Countries, organized by IDCPC in collaboration with the All-China Youth Federation, will be held in Beijing from October 23rd to 24th. This supposedly reality-based and far-looking dialogue among young politicians is not only a big event in the party-to-party exchanges between China and CEE countries, but also a significant initiative in China’s diplomacy towards Europe.

Under the theme "From Traditional Friendship to Closer Cooperation", the forum is designed to stress the long-standing friendly relations between China and CEE countries and the need to enhance mutual trust and understanding, and also to allow CEE young politicians to have a closer feeling towards China by acquiring a more comprehensive and objective knowledge of this country. A senior official of the CPC Central Committee will be meeting with delegates from abroad. The forum will be attended and addressed by Wang Jiarui, vice chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and minister of the IDCPC.

Around 50 young political elites, local officials or leaders of youth wings of more than 30 political parties from CEE countries are coming to attend the forum, during which two panel discussions will be carried out respectively on "Advice on China-CEE Relations" and "Young Political Leaders' Responsibility in National Development". CEE delegates will also have a half-day activity named "Interaction with Young Chinese Elites", when they will be paying a visit to one of the four places, namely, the CYL (Communist Youth League) Working Committee on Major SOE Affairs, China Young Entrepreneurs Association, China University of Political Science and Law, and the TUS Park, to learn about new development in China. In addition, the delegates will visit the hometown of Confucius, Qufu in Shandong Province, to feel the charm of traditional Chinese culture and study the economic and social development of local Chinese communities.

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