The 15th SUIBE-KAS WTO Conference co-sponsored by the ShanghaiUniversity of International Business and Economics (SUIBE) andKonrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Shanghai (KAS) was held at SUIBE. With thetheme “Global Governance of Energy Resources and the Reconstructionof International Rules”, the conference was well attended by over200 participants including Chinese and overseas scholars andexperts from the CPPCC Shanghai Committee, Cologne Institute forEconomic Research, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, NationalUniversity of Singapore, Xiamen University, Beijing University ofAeronautics and Astronautics, Jiangxi University of Finance andEconomics and WELT as well as teachers and students from SUIBE.
After the opening remarks by Vice President Xu Yonglin and TimWenniges, Director of KAS Shanghai, Prof. Zhou Hanmin, ViceChairman of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee gave his keynote speech.He highly acknowledged the importance of the SUIBE-KAS WTO annualconferences to China and the rest of the world and the highrelevance of the theme of this year’s conference held at the timeof the ongoing Paris Climate Change Conference. He emphasizedChina’s role as a big country and proposed three approaches toenergy governance. Firstly, greater importance should be given tothe use of clean energy and renewable energy. Secondly, effortsshould be strengthened to further conserve and preserve energy.Thirdly, carbon trading and carbon treatment should be operated. Hemade four proposals on the reconstruction of international rules.Firstly, the WTO should develop with the times and takeenvironmental protection into consideration when making policiesand agreements. Secondly, international rules on energy governanceshall be based on the principle of common yet differentiatedresponsibilities. Thirdly, international rules on energy governanceshall place great emphasis on legislation and the technology ofcarbon treatment. Fourthly, settlement mechanism should be givenhigher priority in the agenda and workable measures should be madein this regard.
The opening ceremony was followed by three panel discussionsmoderated by Prof. Huang Jianzhong, Dean of the School of Business,SUIBE, Mr. Wenniges, and Ms. Nina Trentmann, business correspondentfor WELT respectively. The panelists had in-depth discussions andexchanges on the experiences and recommendations, opportunities andchallenges, and outlook on energy governance.
Prof. Richert, University of St. Gallen, gave a presentation onGerman energy transition. Prof. Yang Ju, School of Finance, SUIBEanalyzed the implications of the US proposal of lifting ban onpetroleum export. Dr. Liu Xiying, National University of Singaporeshared her studies on reforms on energy pricing mechanism. Ms.Chrischilles, Cologne Institute for Economic Research, talked aboutcompetition in energy transition. Prof. Zhang Yongan, School ofBusiness, SUIBE, discussed the Belt and Road Initiative and energysecurity of China. Prof. Lin Boqiang, Xiamen University, Prof. HanLiyan, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, andProf. Guo Xuetang, Deputy Dean of the School of Law, SUIBE lookedinto the prospects of China’s energy demand, green finance andglobal energy governance. Prof. Richert, Prof. Lin, Prof. Yang andProf. Han exchanged ideas with the teachers and students at thefollowing round-table discussion.
This was the 15th annual conference after 14 successful conferencesjointly sponsored by SUIBE and KAS. The platform has helpedcoordinate the developments of different disciplines andcross-disciplinary researches at SUIBE. This year’s theme is highlyrelevant and has provided valuable insights and suggestions onChina’s energy governance and the reconstruction of internationalrules.