The 2024 Modern Governance Forum, held on Nov. 9 in Beijing, brought together experts and scholars from both home and abroad to tackle issues surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and global public governance.
Themed “Public Governance and Global Cooperation in the Age of Intelligence,” the forum aimed to provide insight and solutions to foster a fairer global governance system amid rapid advancements in AI.
The forum was hosted by Tsinghua University and organized by Tsinghua’s School of Public Policy & Management (SPPM), with support from the Chinese Public Administration Society (CPAS). Xue Lan, distinguished professor of arts, humanities and social sciences at Tsinghua University, presided over the forum’s opening event.
Li Luming, president of Tsinghua University and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered the welcome address, emphasizing the forum’s role as a platform for academic exchange, the sharing of governance best practices and the cultivation of global cooperation, contributing innovative perspectives and solutions to the modernization of governance systems.
Li spoke about AI as a primary driving force behind a new wave of technological and industrial progress, while acknowledging AI’s unprecedented challenges to both social and economic development. He expressed hope that the forum would yield valuable insights for AI governance and promote the building of a shared future for mankind.
Li Baorong, president of CPAS, stressed the essential role of institutional frameworks in enhancing the national governance system and capability. He referenced the Resolution of CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance the Chinese Modernization that was adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. This resolution highlights the importance of strengthening institutional building as well as enhancing top-level design and overall planning.
Li also underscored China’s dedication to global cooperation, citing key initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative. These efforts, he emphasized, offer valuable perspectives and solutions for deepening global collaboration and advancing human civilization.
Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology, discussed the future of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the era of AI-driven technology, which aligns with China’s goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2060. He advocated for the building of a renewable-centered energy system and called for intensified innovation to advance a safe, green, efficient and integrated intelligent NEV network.
Wan also stressed the importance of international cooperation in the NEV sector, noting that countries face similar challenges and obstacles with industrial transformation. He encouraged the global exchange of knowledge and experience in areas like market governance, regulatory frameworks and addressing customer needs.
The forum later split into two sessions: “Application of Artificial Intelligence in Public Governance and Challenges” and “Global Governance and Cooperation in the Smart Age.” These two sessions were presided over by Peng Zongchao, professor at Tsinghua SPPM and secretary of the CPC Tsinghua SPPM Committee, and Zhu Xufeng, dean of Tsinghua SPPM. Notable speakers at the two sessions were Jiang Xiaojuan, professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and former deputy secretary-general of the State Council; Yu Jianxing, professor at the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang University; Danny Quah, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore; Irina Bokova, former UNESCO Director-General and honorary fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science; Tam Yiu-chung, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies; Zheng Yongnian, dean of the School of Public Policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; and Yan Jinming, dean of the School of Public Administration and Policy at Renmin University of China.
During the closing remarks, Zhu Xufeng summarized the forum’s topics, noting that intelligent technologies are reshaping people’s lifestyles and exerting a far-reaching impact on governments’ management models, decision-making processes and public service systems. He affirmed that the forum offers valuable academic insights as well as practical strategies to modernize public governance and deepen global cooperation in the age of intelligence.
