On Nov. 17, 2023, the CAI delegation departed from Lagos for Abidjan, the economic capital city of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, and hosted the 17th China Lecture at Virtual University of Cote d'Ivoire (UVCI). Professor Kone Tiémoman, president of UVCI and other scholars of the university extended a warm welcome to the delegation.

Professor Wang Xiaoming is presenting bamboo slip to professor Tiémoman, the president of the university

Professor Wang Xiaoming, vice-president of the CAI presented a bamboo slip to professor Tiémomana, the president of virtual university as a gift. Kouadio Brou Pascal, associate professor of UVCI made an introduction about the university, and professor Wang Xiaoming briefed on the establishment of the CAI and its academic exchange platforms and outcomes.

The UVCI, founded in 2015 in Abidjan, is a fully online university providing online courses and massive online open courses (MOOC). The virtual university is in cooperation with international organizations and multinational corporations of different countries to offer courses in liberal arts, sciences and engineering, and award bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctoral degree. It has given young people the access to higher education through remote learning.

Professor Kouadio Brou Pascal is making a presentation about UVCI

Professor Wang Yongzhong, research fellow and director of Department of International Commodity, Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) delivered a speech about China’s experience in balancing economic growth and emission reduction. He said, China is the biggest developing country with coal-based energy consumption, low energy efficiency, high proportion of secondary sector and import dependence of oil and gas. It faces both opportunities and challenges in promoting emission reduction while combating climate change. Firstly, China has to raise to the challenge of low-carbon emission reduction. Secondly, it will take China only 30 years from "peak carbon dioxide emissions" to "carbon neutrality". Thirdly, as the manufacturing sector contributes largely to economic growth, it may undermine the decline in energy intensity. Finally, China's coal-based energy structure makes its energy transition very challenging.

However, opportunities emerge as China has become the biggest manufacturer of renewable energy equipment such as photovoltaic modules, wind turbines and lithium batteries. China has taken multiple measures to foster energy transition. Firstly, it emphasized on energy security. Secondly, it made major investments in renewable energy and its industry development. Thirdly, it encouraged clean coal technologies. Finally, it reduced energy-intensive industries in order to upgrade economic structure.

Professor Wang Yongzhong is delivering a speech

Huang Juan, associate professor and associate dean of School of Government, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences(UCASS) made a speech about the modernization of national governance in China. She said, the key to improve governance capacity lies in adhering to the Party's leadership, government capability, market efficiency and social engagement. Professor Huang Juan also elaborated on China's experience in building a law-based, democratic, efficient, clean and service-oriented government.

Professor Huang Juan is delivering a speech

Dr. Gahé Zimy Samuel, a scholar from Félix Houphouet Boigny University shared his experience of studying in China. Dr. Gahé Zimy Samuel studied finance at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, Hubei Province, before obtaining his doctoral degree from Wuhan University of Technology(WUT). He said that China is very big and he learned a lot from the daily life of the Chinese people. Their spirit of solidarity and cooperation impressed him the most.

Dr. Gahé Zimy Samuel said that when he was studying in China, he could absorb knowledge from the massive collection of books at the big library at WUT. He could also study and do his works online. Just like China, Cote d'Ivoire is now stepping up efforts to build a digital government. In his opinion, corruption is not only an issue of developing countries, it also affects developed countries where lobbying and campaign finance are prevailing as a form of corruption.

Dr. Gohi Bi Foua Claude Alain talked about his experience of studying at Xiangtan University, Hunan Province and working in Panzhihua, Sichuan Province.

Dr. Gahé Zimy Samuel is speaking

Dr. Gohi Bi Foua Claude Alain（安澜） is speaking

In Q & A session, teachers and students raised questions about China’s development, such as how did China take the responsibility of combating climate change while ensuring its own development? What is the role of private enterprises in China's socialist market economy? African nations adopted western-value systems and took investments from European countries, what should it do to build a good economic partnership with other countries? How could Africa achieve its own economic development? What should African universities do to enhance cooperation with Chinese universities in order to teach African students Chinese language? What measures did the Chinese government take to build a digital government? The Chinese scholars made detailed answers to each of those questions.

Teachers and students are asking questions

In his concluding remarks, professor Tiémoman thanked the CAI for visiting the university and organizing the lecture. They have learned about China’s valuable experience in economic development, and China’s modernization of national governance system and capability. He said, Cote d'Ivoire is now making efforts to boost digital government construction, however little progress has been made. Building an intelligent digital government will benefit the locals, but some local people simply do not support the plan, especially those in rural areas of Cote d'Ivoire. China’s experience has offered us valuable reference, we expected further exchanges with scholars of CASS, and we hope to visit China in person in the near future.

The president, professor Tiémoman is making concluding remarks

Group photo

After the lecture, Dr. Zhao Yating underlined the significance of the lecture, and talked about her first impression about Cote d'Ivoire in an interview with the UVCI TV station.

Dr. Zhaoyating is interviewed by UVCI student

More than 60 people including teachers and students attended the lecture at UVCI, and some students participated online. The local media also covered the story in news report.

Participants at the lecture