On 25 November 2014, President Peng Long visited Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs and signed Memorandum of Cooperation between BFSU and Chatham House. It was intended to promote cooperation in areas of student and scholar exchanges, references sharing, joint research programs and translation of publications.

Director Robin Niblett introduced Chatham House, especially the newly-launched Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, which aims at cultivating worldwide more young scholars, as well as diplomats, on international relations with strong leadership. He expressed approval for the reputation of BFSU in cultivating diplomatic talents and looked forward to substantial cooperation with BFSU in sharing teaching and research resources on diplomatic theories, policy-making and diplomacy practice.

President Peng made an introduction of Beijing Foreign Studies University, which is renowned as Cradle of Diplomats and has produced more than 400 ambassadors since it was founded over 70 years ago. He hoped to expand cooperation with Chatham House in diplomatic talent cultivation, regional studies and new think-tank construction. He welcomed researchers from Chatham House to undergo academic activities in BFSU regularly so as to provide a high-level platform for meeting of minds between China and Britain.

After the talk, Peng delivered a speech entitled “Economic Restructuring of China — Features and Future of the Third Wave of Reform”. Then a seminar was held on issues of China’s future economic trend, risk aversion and economic reforms.

The Royal Institute of International Affairs is a world-famous institute in the study of international affairs and is the largest of its kind in the UK. Queen Elizabeth II laid the cornerstone for the institute. Chatham House has extensive links with the UK government, enterprises, media and academic communities and is, to some extent, influential in UK’s foreign policy making.