In May 2025, Professor Yan Xuetong, Honorary Dean of the Institute of International Relations at Tsinghua University, was invited to visit Paris (France), St. Gallen (Switzerland), as well as Milan and Venice (Italy), where he participated in a series of academic exchange activities.

Engagements in France During his stay in Paris, Professor Yan attended a roundtable discussion on China hosted by the Jacques Delors Institute, a prominent French think tank. The seminar addressed key topics such as the Trump administration’s tariff policies, Sino-U.S. relations, and China-Europe economic cooperation. Distinguished participants included: Pascal Lamy, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO); Sylvie Bermann, former French Ambassador to China; Françoise Nicolas, former French Ambassador to Benin; Joachim Bitterlich, Senior Advisor for Foreign and European Affairs to former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl; Jean-François Di Meglio, President of Asia Centre (France); Elvire Fabry, Senior Researcher at the Jacques Delors Institute; Nicola Casarini, Researcher at the Rome International Affairs Institute; Sybille Dubois-Fontaine Turner, Director-General of the France-China Committee, among others.

(Image: Discussion at the Jacques Delors Institute)

(Image: Group photo of participants)

At Sciences Po (Paris Institute of Political Studies), Professor Yan held talks with Arancha González Laya, Dean of the School of International Affairs and former Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, and participated in a public debate titled "China, Europe, and Global Leadership." The event, attended by approximately 100 faculty members and students, featured panelists including Arancha Gonzalez Laya, Pascal Lamy, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and Niccolò Milanese, a scholar from the Berggruen Institute Europe. Professor Yan provided an in-depth analysis of political leadership typologies, emphasizing the need for scholars to further examine political leadership dynamics and address the challenges posed by negative aspects of international leadership.

(Image: Dean Arancha González Laya with Professor Yan Xuetong)

(Image: Discussion at Sciences Po)

Additionally, Professor Yan met with Deng Li, Chinese Ambassador to France and Monaco, to exchange views on the current international landscape, China-Europe relations, and Sino-French ties.

(Image: Ambassador Deng Li with Professor Yan)

In St. Gallen, Professor Yan joined the 54th St. Gallen Symposium, contributing to a panel discussion on "Rivalry Without Ruin: How to Reimagine Security for a Turbulent World" The session, moderated by Christoph Heusgen, former Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, and Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, covered issues such as the India-Pakistan conflict and the evolving international security order.

(Image: Panel discussion at the St. Gallen Symposium)

In Milan, Professor Yan visited the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), engaging in discussions with its President, Franco Bruni, on the World Peace Forum and Sino-Italian economic relations. He also delivered a public lecture on "The Current Trajectory of International Order and Deglobalization," attended by around 50 experts in international relations.

(Image: ISPI President Franco Bruni with Professor Yan)

(Image: Lecture at ISPI)

Professor Yan also met with Rector Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of Ca' Foscari University of Venice and Renowned Sinologist, to discuss Sino-Italian cultural exchanges, China-Europe cooperation, and classical Chinese thought. In his keynote speech, moderated by Lorenzo Marsili, Director of the Berggruen Institute Europe, Professor Yan argued that the ongoing shift from the post-Cold War liberal order to a deglobalized paradigm stems from changes in global leadership structures. He highlighted that when no single country can provide the global leadership needed to reverse deglobalization trends, the world requires collective global leadership mechanisms to deliver the public goods necessary to restart globalization.

(Image: Rector Tiziana Lippiello with Professor Yan)

(Image: Lecture at Ca’ Foscari University)

During his visit to Italy, Professor Yan also granted interviews to mainstream media outlets: Corriere della Sera (Italy) and Sky News (UK), sharing his perspectives on contemporary global issues.

Ai Banglin, Communications Director of Tsinghua University’s Institute of International Relations, accompanied the delegation.