Led by Director Zhou Hong, a delegation from the Institute of European Studies (IES) paid a visit to Poland from May 28 to June 3, 2011. The delegation met with scholars from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology and Institute of Economic Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and discussed issues on social and economic transformation, Poland’s economic performance after 1989, etc.
At the Vistula University, the IES scholars met with Prof. Krzysztof Rybinski, Rector of the University. Present at the meeting were two former Polish Ambassadors to China, Zdzislaw Goralczyk and Ksawery Burski. Zdzislaw Goralczyk is now the President of the Polish-Chinese Friendship Association. The hosts answered questions about the relationship between Poland and China.
The delegation went to the Polish Parliament and had a meeting with Dr. Kazimerz Woycicki, Advisor to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He briefed the Chinese visitors about Poland’s foreign policies in general. At the Polish Institute of International Affairs, IES scholars asked questions about the EU after the Lisbon Treaty, the changing role of the EU Presidency, priorities of the forthcoming Polish EU Presidency and Sino-Polish relationship. Warsaw School of Economics is considered as the “cradle of economists” in Poland. The Chinese delegation met with Prof. Elżbieta Kawecka-Wyrzykowska, Vice Rector for International Cooperation, and explored possibility of future cooperation between the two sides. Now more and more Polish scholars have started to research on China. Poland-Asia Research Center, which was established in 2007, is one of the best think-tanks in Poland. The IES delegation went to the Center and Director Zhou Hong gave a presentation about China-EU relationship. Around twenty Polish scholars attended the seminar. In Kraków the Chinese scholars went to Jagellonian University, one of the oldest university in Central Europe. They had a discussion with Prof. Zdzisław Mach, Director of the Institute of European Studies. Other members of the IES delegation included Prof. Jiang Shixue, Deputy Director of the institute; Prof. Cheng Weidong, Assistant Director of the institute; Dr. Chenxin, Chief of the Department of European Economy; and Prof. Kong Tianping, Chief of the Department of Central and Eastern European Studies. To read more about the IES delegation’s trip to Poland, please visit the following two web sites: http://www.pism.pl/index/?id=76e9a17937b75b73a8a430acf210feaf http://www.polska-azja.pl/2011/07/05/wyklad-i-dyskusja-z-badaczami-chinskiej-akademii-nauk-spolecznych-relacja/
IES Delegation Visits Poland