On September 25, 2024, the Shanghai Institute for European Studies (SIES) convened its Leadership (Expansion) and Party Building Work Conference. Attendees included President Ding Chun; Wu Zhongyong, Head of the Party Working Group and Vice President; Vice Presidents Wu Huiping, Yu Jianhua, and Zhang Yinghong; Secretary-General Yang Haifeng; Supervisor Yang Fengmin; Honorary Presidents Wu Yikang, Dai Bingran, and Xu Mingqi; Deputy Secretary-Generals Jian Junbo and Xin Hua; Director of Academic Research Xue Sheng; and Director of Consultancy and Training Zhu Yichen. The meeting reviewed the completion of key tasks in the first half of 2025, discussed arrangements for the second half of the year, and deliberated on candidates for Director and Deputy Director of the International Exchange Department. Participants collectively studied the strategic guidance for the steady development of China-U.S. relations going forward during President Xi Jinping's telephone conversation with the US President. Vice President Zhang Yinghong and Deputy Secretary-General Jian Junbo provided situation briefings on “Europe as a Pole”.
