On 8 December 2024, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, visited our university. Dr Iweala visited the University's Museum of Economy and Trade, where she gained a deep understanding of the University's active contribution to the opening-up process of the country and the brilliant achievements made by China's foreign trade. Afterwards, Dr Iweala visited the relevant research institutes of the university and saw the research results related to the World Trade Organisation displayed by the university. She gained an in-depth understanding of the university's fruitful achievements in the field of international trade in recent years, and had a cordial discussion with representatives of teachers and students.

At the symposium, President Zhongxiu Zhao extended a warm welcome to Director General Iweala's visit and gave a comprehensive introduction to the school's characteristics and research achievements, especially those in the fields of World Trade Organization studies, digital economy, digital trade and global value chains. Director General Iweala highly praised the development achievements of our university, and during the talks and visits to the exhibition room, she more than once particularly mentioned and highly affirmed the international influence and outstanding contribution of one of our flagship products - the series of reports on the development of global value chains - in disseminating the concepts of the World Trade Organization, and providing reference for decision-making, and so on.

During the Q&A session of the symposium, representatives of Chinese and foreign students of our university actively participated in the discussion, and we had in-depth exchanges with Director General Iweala on the development of the multilateral trading system, the significance of the accession of developing economies to the World Trade Organization, and the impact of artificial intelligence technology on international trade, and other hot topics, with a warm atmosphere on the spot. At the end of the event, Director General Iweala took a group photo with the students and teachers of the university and encouraged the students to study hard, continuously improve their academic level and practical ability, and contribute wisdom and strength to the sustainable development of the multilateral trading system.