May 5-7, 2017, a seminar was held on Chinese traditional culture and diplomatic theory innovation in QFNU, co-organized by the Society of Chinese Diplomatic History and the Chinese Diplomatic Heritage Research Center and the School of History and Culture of QFNU, with several former Chinese ambassadors and some experts and scholars from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, National Defense University, Shandong Normal University and other universities and research institutions attending the seminar. Mr. Zhang Honghai, President of QFNU, and Mr. Du Qiwen, President of Society of Chinese Diplomatic History and a member of the Policy Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Mr. Zhang, on behalf of QFNU, extended his warm welcome to the experts and scholars. “Chinese culture has a long history and contains profound diplomatic thoughts,” said Mr. Zhang. “It is a major subject for the academic circles to explore and inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture and make it serve the great practice of China's diplomacy in the new era. The seminar is a rare opportunity to learn and share the cutting-edge results and will promote the prosperity and development of our research on Chinese traditional culture and the innovation and development of diplomatic theories.”

“In the face of the ever-changing world situations, the outstanding cultural traditions of all ethnic groups, including the Confucian ideology, could offer insight into the solutions to today's world problems,” said Mr. Du. “Our diplomacy should have distinctive Chinese characteristics and Chinese style, diplomatic self-confidence should be rooted in cultural self-confidence, and the characteristics of diplomacy should reflect the cultural heritage.”

Mr. Wang Zaibang, Director of Chinese Diplomatic Heritage Research Center of QFNU, introduced the work of the center in the opening ceremony. Mr. Mei Zhaorong and Mr. Lu Qiutian, former Chinese Ambassadors to Germany, and Mr. Zha Peixin, former Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, delivered keynote reports. The opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Cheng Jichun, Dean of the School of History and Culture of QFNU.

This seminar reviewed the achievements of China's diplomatic practice and theoretical innovation after the 18th National Congress, analyzed the new situations of China's diplomacy and the new task of diplomatic theory innovation in the next five to ten years, and explored the ways and means of the traditional culture to serve China's future diplomatic theory Innovation. This seminar is of great significance to promote the study of China's diplomatic theory and diplomatic history and the deep cooperation between academia and politics.