The National Youth Diplomacy Research Center was inaugurated on January 5 at China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU). The first council meeting of the new center was convened on the same day.

Fu Zhenbang, Vice Chairman of the All-China Youth Federation, and Cui Qiming, Party Secretary of CFAU, jointly inaugurated the center. Also present were leaders and experts, as well as representatives of teachers and students from the International Department of the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee, the China International Youth Exchange Center (CIYEC) and the CFAU.

Representatives from the CIYEC, the CFAU, the Communist Youth League of China and the All-China Youth Federation pose for a group photo on January 5.

Fu noted that youth diplomacy represents a crucial part of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era and is important in the cultivation of youth under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

China's youth diplomacy inherits fine traditions and undertakes the mission of the times, he said, hoping that the center's efforts to develop youth diplomacy will become a base to strengthen the research of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and produce more young diplomatic talents.

Fu added that the center will emerge as a national research hub providing intellectual support as well as talented personnel for China's youth diplomacy.

Cui said that youth diplomacy has greatly enriched China's diplomacy and diversified the means and channels for handling foreign affairs. CFAU will strengthen its disciplinary and academic guidance and support as well as build a theoretical system of youth diplomacy and a team of talents.

He stressed that CFAU will work with other universities to develop youth diplomacy and build the center into a platform to facilitate interdisciplinary research and cooperation, offer suggestions on policy-making, and cultivate diplomatic talents.

The CFAU, CIYEC and International Department of the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee sign a cooperative agreement on promoting youth diplomacy during the center's inauguration ceremony on January 5.

Cui signed a cooperation agreement with Dong Xia, Director of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee, and Wang Yijun, Party Secretary of the CIYEC, on jointly promoting youth diplomacy, as well as a commissioning agreement for a research project.

The inauguration was followed by the first council meeting that planned the work of 2022.

Co-established by the International Department of the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee, the CFAU and the CIYEC, the center will focus on research, academic exchanges and talent cultivation concerning youth diplomacy.