Chinese and Dutch scholars participate in a field trip on Chongming Island in suburban Shanghai. Photo: Courtesy of Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research

Editor's Note:  

Chinese President Xi Jinping often quotes an ancient saying on many diplomatic occasions: "No mountain or ocean can separate those who share the same aspirations." This powerful message underscores the undeniable force of friendship and cooperation in bridging hearts across nations, cultures, and civilizations. Inspired by President Xi's vision, people-to-people exchanges between China and the world have been flourishing. 

People from diverse backgrounds and fields - united by common goals and dreams - traverse mountains and oceans to connect with each other. Through letters, face-to-face dialogues and vibrant cultural events, they are collectively weaving a magnificent tapestry of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

The Global Times presents "Intertwined Destinies, Shared Paths," a series spotlighting the touching stories written by these "friendship ambassadors." They are scholars pushing the boundaries of research, diplomats advocating for deeper cooperation on the global stage, artists igniting imaginations with their creations and ordinary people extending heartfelt love beyond national borders driven by genuine sincerity.

Their tales illuminate the spark of cultural exchange, the driving force of technological innovation, the bountiful harvest of economic cooperation and the enduring warmth of human connection - all contributing to a more peaceful, prosperous and open world. This is the first installment of the series.

When Chinese scholar Li Xiuzhen first saw the Rhine River while studying in the Netherlands in 1996, she was deeply impressed by the river's crystal-clear waters, similar to that of China's Yangtze River. Although Li had never seen the Rhine before, this famous European river made the then young woman, who later became a well-known expert in wetland ecology, feel so close.

Two years later, Dutch scholar Huib de Vriend encountered the Yangtze River for the first time in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, during his trip to China in 1998. "It was so vast," he recalled to the Global Times on his first impression of the river, known as the mother river of China, with its wide expanse of water stretching as far as the eye could see. 

At that time, neither Li nor de Vriend knew that their respective institutions - East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in western Netherlands' Delft city - would engage in over 20 years of continuous collaboration focused on major rivers and delta regions like the Yangtze and the Rhine, being a vivid example of people-to-people exchange between China and Europe in the academic field.

Now old friends, Li and de Vriend met again at an academic forum in mid-November. Themed "Yangtze-Rhine-Danube Regional Dialogue," the forum brought together more than 100 global government officials, scholars and industry veterans, who shared their insights on topics including river improvement, environmental protection, the relationship between rivers and human society, and grass-roots exchanges based on rivers and deltas.

Dialogues on rivers from different regions is of great significance today, said Li, now deputy director of the Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research at ECNU. 

"Rivers nurture civilization and promote communication, diminishing the constraints of geopolitics," she told the Global Times. "Our academic exchanges based on rivers are an important part of grass-roots diplomacy."

A group photo taken at the academic forum "Yangtze-Rhine-Danube Regional Dialogue" on November 21, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

Similarities and differences 

Co-hosted by ECNU and Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC), the forum held in Shanghai on November 21 explored the cultural exchanges and sustainable development cooperation mechanisms among the Yangtze River, Rhine River, and Danube River basins, promoting win-win development and fostering China-Europe friendship, said Chen Jing, president of SPAFFC. 

Many guests at the forum told the Global Times that there are numerous similarities and differences among these three rivers. It is these similarities and differences that provide value for mutual learning and motivation for cooperation among the involved countries, they said.

As a keynote speaker who provided a detailed introduction to the situation of the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt and their delta, de Vriend said the most obvious similarity between the Yangtze River and the Rhine River is that they are economic chains connecting particularly important economic areas. "Here in China is the case; and also, northwest Europe is the most important economic area there, thanks to the Rhine," he said. 

Another major similarity is that both the Yangtze River and the Rhine River carry a lot of sediment, which can be used to build up land or to ensure that the river remains stable, de Vriend said. "So there are a lot of things in common between these rivers, but there are also differences," he told the Global Times, noting that "differences are driving the collaboration."

The flow rate and number of dams on the Yangtze River far exceed those of the Rhine, making mutual learning particularly appealing, he said. "It's not only that we bring knowledge here, but we also get something back.''

Echoing de Vriend, Li said that academic cooperation between China and Europe in the field of rivers is a process of mutual learning. She said the Netherlands is ahead of China in its pollution remediation of the Rhine River, and its efforts in returning farmland to wetlands, which have offered many valuable experiences to learn from.

On the other hand, China is enlightening in its efficient implementation of certain central government-led policies, such as the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River. "Similar policies would be very difficult to implement in Europe, due to the competing interests among different river basin countries," he said.

Iulian Nichersu from Romania-based Danue Delta National Institute for Research and Development, another keynote speaker at the forum, said this was his first visit to China. He plans to visit the Yangtze River Delta, a part which is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) listed heritage.

Speaking of the possible areas for enhanced cooperation between China and Romania in the study of rivers, Nichersu highlighted nature preservation and wetland management as key areas for deeper collaboration. He mentioned that there have been some cooperative programs for ecological restoration between Chinese and Romanian institutions, which are important aspects of wetland management.

"They can serve as a way for information and knowledge exchange between these two systems," he told the Global Times.

Chinese and Dutch scholars participate in a field trip on Chongming Island in suburban Shanghai. Photo: Courtesy of Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research

Long-term academic cooperation

The forum was held as part of a series of international meetings under the "Mega-Delta Programme." The program was one of the inaugural 65 Decade Actions endorsed by the "United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)," making Chinese mainland's sole inclusion.

Initiated by the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research at ECNU, the "Mega-Delta Programme" aims to address distinctive challenges encountered by estuarine deltas across varied regions, typologies, and developmental stages amid global transformations. He Qing, director of the laboratory, believes that the fact that the program was selected demonstrates the essential role of rivers in facilitating cultural exchange.

"The development of human civilization is closely linked to rivers. Historically, the four major cradles of civilization all emerged around great rivers," she told the Global Times. 

"Moreover, this program embodies the idea that, the UN needs scientists like us to take on a social responsibility to jointly preserve and protect our river ecosystems and civilizations," she added.

In 2023, ECNU and SPAFFC co-hosted the Yangtze-Mississippi Regional Forum, focusing on dialogue between the two major rivers of China and the US. He said they plan to regularly hold such similar academic forums, which will include more of the world's great rivers, such as the Mekong and the Amazon, to further promote dialogue and cooperation among more regions globally.

Over the past few decades, Chinese scholars have maintained close exchanges with their global peers in the field of river studies under supported of the government. The cooperation between ECNU and TU Delft, for instance, has involved long-term collaborative projects since 2002, under a strategic cooperation framework signed by the Chinese and Dutch governments, according to He.

With the help of these collaborative projects, many ECNU faculty and students in river studies have traveled to the Netherlands multiple times over the two decades, either for short visits or to pursue an 18-month graduate program at TU Delft. "As for myself, I've been to the Netherlands at least 30 times in the past 20 years, and I even know well the cashiers at the supermarket near TU Delft," He said.

De Vriend is a frequent visitor at Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Research of ECNU. In addition to teaching, he supervises some doctoral students and occasionally offers management advice.

Close academic exchanges are especially valuable in the current complex international landscape. De Vriend mentioned that now in his country, there sometimes may be "a bit of stress" regarding collaboration with China. "But I think in our field, there's no reason to have stress, and we can be relaxed about exchanging information and insights," he told the Global Times.

Broader exchanges

2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU).

"As two major global powers, markets, and civilizations, the China-EU relationship is vital for the well-being of both sides and for global stability and prosperity," said Hao Zhongwei, director-general of Department of European and Asian Affairs of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), in a speech delivered at the forum's opening ceremony on November 21.

In addition to academic exchanges, the forum also featured a panel discussion on the broader topic of "Mechanisms of Collaboration between River Basins." During this session, representatives from various governments, companies, and civil friendship organizations shared their views on how to further expand people-to-people exchanges between China and Europe in various fields.

Nagy Judit Éva, president of Hungarian-Chinese Friendship Association, was a guest at this session. She mentioned that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Hungary and China, and both countries have organized a series of activities, from government to grass-roots levels, to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. "Chinese culture is getting closer to Hungarian people, and in Hungary, learning the Chinese language is getting more and more popular." she told the Global Times.

Luoding Lammel-Rath, chairperson of the German-Chinese Friendship Association, shared her observations on cooperation between China and Europe regarding rivers during this session, covering areas such as trade, navigation, flood warning, environmental and climate protection, as well as cultural and tourism exchanges.

Before the forum began, Lammel-Rath shared in a brief interview with the Global Times about a German festival called Mainfest. Mainfest is a celebration held in riverside cities like Frankfurt, originally derived from a fishing festival created by fishermen and captains to pay tribute to the rivers. Like China's Dragon Boat Festival, it is a traditional holiday related to rivers.

Germany and China, as well as their peoples, are very similar, both hard-working and diligent, said Lammel-Rath. "Rivers provide a great opportunity for both sides to learn about each other," she said. "Under this theme, there will be more development around people-to-people diplomatic relationships. That's the future."