The meeting “Reviewing China’s Development Experience; The Interaction of Tradition and Innovation on the Path of Progress” was held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, in the meeting hall of the Iranian Institute for Belt and Road Studies office in Shanghai. The meeting was attended by a group of researchers, university professors, and economic and cultural activists. The members of this delegation had traveled to Shanghai as part of an academic trip planned by the University of Religions and Denominations, academic ambassadors, the Iranian Institute for Belt and Road Studies, and the Trade Center of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Shanghai to attend China and observe China’s development and cultural trends.
Reports from various parts of the meeting
At the beginning of the meeting, Eng. Ebrahim Yousefnejad, President of the Iranian Institute for Belt and Road Studies and President of the Iranian Business Center in Shanghai, welcomed the members of the delegation and delivered the keynote speech of the meeting. He reviewed the historical process of China’s reforms from the last decades of the 20th century to the contemporary period and explained China’s development model; a model in which various factors such as intellectual and cultural traditions, the role of the government in macro-planning, technological innovations, industrial policies, and organizational discipline work together. He then gave examples of his personal experiences in relation to Chinese government institutions and companies and pointed out the evolution of management approaches, speed of decision-making, and coordination between the public and private sectors in China.
In the next part of the meeting, Dr. Amir Mohammad Esmaili, Secretary General of the Iranian Institute for Belt and Road Studies and the secretary of the meeting, while explaining the goals of this program, emphasized the importance of realistic and field studies of China. He noted that understanding China through written sources alone is not enough and what is happening in this country today requires direct observation, dialogue with field activists, and a deep understanding of the organizational and social culture of this society. He also emphasized the role of the Institute in building bridges between Iranian and Chinese researchers.
The meeting was followed by a question and answer session. Participants raised questions about China’s development model, the relationship between culture and economy, the role of the government in guiding the market, Iran’s opportunities within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the experiences of Iranian companies in China, and the challenges of cooperation between the two sides.
At the end of the meeting, the members of the delegation were awarded certificates of attendance by the Iranian Institute for Belt and Road Studies and a commemorative photo was taken. Also, on the sidelines of this program, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two institutions; a memorandum of understanding that aims to expand scientific, cultural, and research cooperation between the two sides and strengthen joint programs in the field of China studies.
