Diplomatic and foreign affairs resources must be collaborated and innovated. Firstly, expand Shanghai Free Trade Zone's diplomatic and foreign affairs-related functions, and strive to make it an important platform and a strong support for China's economic diplomacy and Shanghai's external cooperation. Secondly, attach importance to the role of technological innovation in foreign diplomatic and foreign affairs, and improve Shanghai's leading role in exchange with foreign countries and the "Belt and Road" initiative. Thirdly, successfully complete the international training task assigned by the state. Fourthly, stress summary of practical experiences and theoretical study, and give a good play to Shanghai's role as a leader and pioneer in innovating and cultivating diplomatic and foreign affairs resources, and make new contributions in its service for China's overall diplomacy.
Since modern times, Shanghai has always been a window in China's opening to the outside world, and Shanghai has accumulated abundant diplomatic and foreign affairs resources since the founding of the new China. In the current process of building Shanghai into an international metropolis, we should stress the protection, utilization and innovation of Shanghai's diplomatic and foreign affairs resources, from a perspective of historical responsibility and mission.
We should cherish Shanghai’s diplomatic and foreign affairs resources
Due to various reasons, many buildings of historical interest are being damaged or are disappearing in Shanghai. The sites of the first batch of foreign consulates in Shanghai have almost totally disappeared, the "Jewish Quarantine Zone" in Hongkou District has lost its overall features, the Jinjiang Auditorium where the Shanghai Communiqué between China and the US was published has long been demolished, and the residences of many foreign celebrities in Shanghai have become places of mixed dwelling. In such a context, we must much cherish these preserved diplomatic and foreign affair resources.
In protecting historical buildings, we should invite diplomacy and foreign affairs experts to participate in verification and evaluation work, strengthen the efforts of locating, protecting and renovating, and propose overall and long term plans for the protection of heritage buildings from the Republic of China era, and the period after the founding of the new China.
Since many of those who have experienced Shanghai's past diplomatic and foreign affairs activities have retired or passed away, we must not only rescue the history that those aged people tell orally, but also promote inheritance of the role of their descendants, and give strong focus to efforts to record the historical witness of persons who personally experienced the diplomatic and foreign affairs events. For instance, the diplomatic and foreign affairs activities that the old generation of leaders conducted in Shanghai, the take-over, and early liberation of foreign affairs abroad, and the work for resuming diplomatic and foreign affairs activities since the beginning of the 1970s.
Contemporary diplomatic and foreign affairs resources must be protected. Since the reform and opening up of China, Shanghai has been the venue of many important summits and meetings; these include the APEC summit, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, World Expo Shanghai, and the CICA summit. We should not only conduct follow up protection of these important sites, but also combine their protection with education activities conducted in these patriotism cultivation bases. For this purpose, we need to establish a long term maintenance mechanism and arrange sufficient funds. We may learn from foreign best practice and establish an operation and maintenance squad that mainly consists of volunteers. Meanwhile, we should strengthen protection of the history that was told by those who personally experienced the historical events, along with audio-visual materials and the textual record, and ensure protection by establishing relevant regulations and laws.
Make good use of diplomatic and foreign affairs resource.
For Shanghai's abundant and invaluable diplomatic and foreign affairs resources, we must not only conduct good protection, but also must give a maximum play to their historical and practical role.
Firstly, serve China's overall diplomacy. Shanghai should continue to promote the role of Jinjiang Hotel, Xijiao State Guest Hotel, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and Shanghai World Expo Center, and make them the first choice places to conduct national diplomatic and foreign affairs events. Moreover, Shanghai should renew and strengthen the function and role of the Children's Palace, the Yu Garden, the Municipal Museum, and the Oriental Pearl Tower in receiving state guests and important guests.
Secondly, serve Shanghai’s economic and social development. Many Consulate Generals and representatives of foreign enterprises in Shanghai complain that, they encounter many difficulties in holding big events in Shanghai, and it is difficult for them to obtain necessary documents in a foreign language. In such a context, many of them shift the focus of their work to other places, which, to a large degree, “diverts away” some of Shanghai's diplomatic and foreign affair resources. Therefore, under general leadership of the Foreign Affairs Work Leading Group of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, the government entities should tap their full potential and improve their work efficiency, the NPC and CPPCC should promote their special functions, and the women's union, labor union, the students' federation and friendship associations should promote their role in public diplomacy. The consciousness and effectiveness to serve diplomatic and foreign affairs of those entities in the Pilot Free Trade Zone, and those operating in such fields as big aircraft and life sciences and medical sciences must be raised. The content for visiting of foreign guests must also be increased, the level of communication and interaction must be raised, and convenient materials must be provided.
Thirdly, promote its culture, education and think tank undertakings. After World Expo Shanghai, the number of state guests that come to visit Shanghai has diminished, and even though some do come, they usually come to conduct economic and trade activities. In such a context, Shanghai should make efforts to get more state guests and VIP guests to visit Shanghai, invite more state heads and governments to give speeches at Shanghai's universities and think tanks, invite world celebrities to come to Shanghai to give speeches, and select top foreign students to come to study in Shanghai. Through these activities, we can provide high quality governance suggestions to the state on diplomacy and the economy.
Cultivate and innovate diplomatic and foreign affairs resources
Shanghai's diplomatic and foreign affairs resources are often envied by other provinces and cities, but Shanghai cannot rest on its laurels and should make new contributions and development, that this generation of people are expected to make.
Firstly, actively train talents in the areas of diplomacy and foreign affairs. Regarding professional talents, we should strengthen synchronized training of professional talents in the area of politics and business, and strengthen training of first-class talents in such areas as economy, law, and culture, and take concrete measures to encourage professional talents from Shanghai to go to work in Beijing and abroad. Regarding interdisciplinary talents, we should comprehensively use and promote their advantages, and push forward training of interdisciplinary talents by such means as interdisciplinary education, grass roots exercise and overseas training. Regarding foreign talents, Shanghai should strengthen training of foreign students, especially PhD students, attract high end talents from abroad, and promote their role in such areas as foreign related business and trade, finance, law, and convention & exhibition.
Secondly, strive to develop diplomatic and foreign affairs resources. In the new situation, I suggest Shanghai must set the following objectives: 1. Actively support the country's important diplomatic and foreign affairs activities, and strive to hold the 2nd Belt and Road Forum, and build a base for bilateral and multilateral meeting between Chinese and foreign leaders. 2. Increase and develop the content and features of Shanghai as an international metropolis, and make good use of the "World City Day" platform. 3. Develop new ideas and make new contributions in public diplomacy and city diplomacy, and make civil bodies and private enterprises new growth points of diplomatic and foreign affairs resources.
Thirdly, collaborate and innovate diplomacy and foreign affairs resources from the following aspects: 1. Expand Shanghai Free Trade Zone's diplomatic and foreign affairs-related functions, and strive to make it an important platform and strong support for China's economic diplomacy and Shanghai's external cooperation. 2. Stress the role of technological innovation in foreign diplomacy and foreign affairs activities, and improve Shanghai's leading role in exchange with foreign countries and the "Belt and Road" Initiative. 3. Successfully complete the international training tasks assigned by the state. 4. Stress summary of practical experiences and theoretical explorations, and give a good play to Shanghai's role as a leader and pioneer in innovating and cultivating diplomatic and foreign affairs activities, and make new contributions in local governments' service for China's overall diplomacy.
(The author is a member of the Academic Committee of Shanghai Academy, and former President of Shanghai Institute of International Studies)
