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Only through cooperation can we move forward after COVID-19
Alessandro Golombiewski Teixeira
VCG

VCG

Editor's note: Alessandro Golombiewski Teixeira is a former special economic advisor to the president of Brazil, and a National Thousand Talents Distinguished Professor at China's Tsinghua University. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

From May 29 to 30 in Beijing, China is hosting the spring meeting of the International Financial Forum (IFF). The IFF is an independent international organization established by global financial leaders from more than 20 countries, regions, and related international organizations such as China, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.

It is a high-level permanent dialogue, exchange and research institution in the global financial field and is known as the global "F20" (Finance 20) in the financial sector. The International Finance Forum aims to establish a global financial strategy dialogue, exchanges and cooperation to promote global financial services and enhance comprehensive sustainable development.

However, this year is the first time in the 18-year history of the International Financial Forum that this important forum will have a different mission. It has the responsibility to contribute to both the recovery and revitalization of the global economy. The theme is "Post-epidemic Era: Global Governance and International Cooperation."

As COVID-19 raged during 2020, the world seemed to hit the stop button. Whether it is economic development or global cooperation, the whole world came to a standstill, dealing a severe blow to the global economy and global trade and investment activities. 

How can we build new global partnerships? What can we do to strengthen global sustainable development, improve global governance, deal with climate change, improve public health, boost trade and investment, and enhance international cooperation and development? All these issues deserve further discussion.

People wait in line outside a COVID-19 vaccination facility set up at the Royal Melbourne Exhibition Center during a lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, May 28, 2021. /VCG

People wait in line outside a COVID-19 vaccination facility set up at the Royal Melbourne Exhibition Center during a lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, May 28, 2021. /VCG

Against such a background, it seems that we need dialogue to pool consensus, wisdom and strength so that the global economy can move in the right direction.

The IFF was organized this year to be not only a talk shop but to offer viable solutions that would help the world economy to find its way back to prosperity.

It will have important debates on topics including global governance and development cooperation in the post-pandemic era, global sustainable finance, global anti-pandemic cooperation, global climate cooperation, China-U.S. green cooperation, China-EU carbon pricing, carbon neutrality and global investment opportunities, carbon neutrality and green technology innovation, infrastructure construction and free trade, the change and challenge of the global economic landscape, digital currency and future digital transition, China's new development pattern and "Fourteenth Five-Year" trend, and green Silk Road. We expect that the IFF can contribute to a fast world economic recovery. In addition to the opening ceremony and the plenary session, there will be four symposiums, two roundtables, four summits and four academic conferences.

With its emphasis on governance and cooperation, this year's agenda is a call for future global development. With the development, production and vaccination of the new coronavirus vaccine, the world order has gradually returned to normal, and the global economy seems to have entered an era of slow recovery, but there is still a long way to go.

The impact of the pandemic has obvious regional differences. China is a country with a relatively early large-scale outbreak of the pandemic, but due to its government's good governance as well as its rapid vaccine research and development, China became the only major economy with positive growth in 2020. However, at the same time, we still need to pay attention to other countries, such as India, Brazil, and so on. The world as a whole is still facing serious challenges in global anti-pandemic cooperation and sustainable development.

Since its inception, the IFF has successfully held 17 annual global conferences. It has played an important role in promoting international financial strategy dialogue, exchanges and cooperation, as well as academic research, and it has gained extensive international influence. It is clear that the grouping is the product of global cooperation and belongs to the whole world. 
The keywords "governance" and "cooperation" on a deeper level show that the forum hopes to build consensus and boost positive energy through this meeting, and to build a "bridge for win-win cooperation."

No country can fight the pandemic alone. The destinies of all countries are closely linked. Globalization and regional economic integration may be a bumpy journey, but we will not stop. We do not want COVID-19 to lead the whole world into chaos. Instead, we hope that through this outbreak, the world will realize its "governance" through "change." 

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)

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