Zhao Zhongxiu, president of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), led a delegation to Switzerland and France from Dec. 15 to 19, releasing a key report at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva and signing new cooperation agreements with French universities during the oversea trip.

WTO Report Launch

UIBE launched the Global Value Chain Development Report 2025 at WTO headquarters in Geneva on Dec. 15, in collaboration with the WTO, the World Economic Forum and the Asian Development Bank.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala attended the launch event. She noted globalization remains resilient and global value chains are indispensable while commending UIBE's key role in the field.

Zhao delivered closing remarks at the ceremony. He thanked the WTO and partners for their joint efforts, and emphasized coordinated, transparent and mutually beneficial industrial policies are vital for driving innovation and green transition across global value chains.

Prior to the launch, Zhao met with WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill, expressing gratitude for the organization's strong support throughout the report's compilation and revision process. The event drew nearly 200 attendees, including ambassadors, diplomats, scholars and business representatives.

University Visits

In Switzerland, Zhao met with University of Bern Vice-Rector Andrew Chan and World Trade Institute Managing Director Manfred Elsig on Dec. 16. The two sides discussed joint research, dual-degree student programs and institutionalized cooperation in cultivating international talents.

In France, the UIBE delegation visited Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University two days later. Zhao held talks with President Christine Neau-Leduc and Vice-President Rémi Bazillier, who oversees international relations.

Both parties agreed to launch a dual-degree master's program in economics and expand cooperation in economics and management. They also discussed plans for a joint research center in China's Hainan province and signed an inter-institutional student exchange agreement following their talks.

The delegation also visited École Supérieure du Commerce Extérieur (ESCE) International Business School in Paris. Zhao met with ESCE CEO Christophe Boisseau and Vice Dean Guillaume Ferrante. They discussed aligned student exchange programs and collaborative initiatives based on the Confucius Institute platform.

Meeting at Chinese Embassy

UIBE representatives visited the Education Section of the Chinese Embassy in France on Dec. 19. Zhao exchanged views with Zhou Jiagui, minister counselor for education, covering Chinese universities' participation in global governance, cooperation with international organizations, high-level talent cultivation and China-France people-to-people exchanges.

Alumni Meetings

During the trip, Zhao also met with UIBE alumni representatives in Switzerland and France, and held talks with Chu Jun, founder of the Chinese Institute Geneva Foundation. The exchanges further consolidated the university's bonds with overseas alumni and pooled resources to boost mutual development.