Confucius and the Emergence of Contemporary China
Suceava, March 18-21, 2026
The "Dimitrie Leonida" Amphitheatre
Arrival of participants and accommodation
Thursday, 19 March 2026
09:00–10:00
Opening of the Symposium
Opening of the Symposium: Greeting from the host institution, Adrian GRAUR; Presentation of the Symposium objectives, Andrei MARGA; Address by the President of the County Council, Gheorghe ȘOLDAN; Address by the Ambassador of China, Feng CHEN; Address by the representative of the Confucius Institutes in Romania.
10:00 – 14:00
Section I: China and Its Historically Significant Development
- Themes: Economic reform and development of China; Development policy in China; Originality of the Chinese economic and social system; Evolution and modernization of China’s institutions; Valorization of modern science and technology in China; Cultivating discovery, creation, and innovation in today’s China; China as a major force in scientific research and innovation education in today’s world; Artificial intelligence in today’s China; Competitiveness in today’s China.
Introductory Conferences
Pavel SUIAN, Prof. PhD, Former Diplomat – Dezvoltarea și afirmarea Chinei contemporane;
Zequan LU, PhD,Confucianism World Center of Mount Ni – The Great Virtue of Sustaining Life: Theoretical Construction and Modern Interpretation of Confucian Ethical Economics;
Alexandru MIRONOV, Former Minister, Publication Director – Cultura în lumea multipolară;
Cornel NISTORESCU,Publication Director – Reflecții asupra dezvoltării Chinei.
Contributions
Marcela GANEA, Belt and Road Research Lab, București – Reducerea sărăciei de către China – realizare unicat în istoria omenirii;
Doru PETRESCU, Assoc. Prof., CEO, Bucharest – Impactul social al inteligenței artificiale;
Stelian Sergiu ILIESCU, Prof. PhD, Former State Secretary, Bucharest – Energie și digitalizare;
Costel-Ioan CIOBAN, Gabriela-Liliana CIOBAN,USV – Made in China;
Marius GHILEZAN, Publication Director – Rolul României în restabilirea relațiilor China – SUA;
Gheorghe MIHUȚ,Professor, Deva – Confucius: Cunoaștere, dezvoltare, prietenie;
Dumitru Cătălin ROGOJANU, PhD, Researcher, Deva – Războiul sino-japonez (1937-1945) în presa românească a vremii;
Paula Sorina TOMA, PhD, Researcher, Brătianu Institute, Romanian Academy – China and the Maritime Space;
Desideriu DUDAȘ,PhD, ASPES Constanța – 2026: Capital și model social;
Anca-Viorica GRECULEAC, Professor, and Robert GRIGORE, Nicolae PÎRGHIE, Paul SPOIALĂ, Anastasia VASILACHE, Students, “Petru Rareș” National College, Suceava – Descoperirea unor elemente de cultură chineză prin intermediul participării la concursul de inventică CASTIC 2025.
16:00 – 19:00
Section II: The legacy of Confucius and its valorization in today’s China
- Themes: Confucius’s work and legacy; Confucius in universal culture; Thinking of Confucius; Valorization of cultural heritage in China; The state and public service in Confucian conception; Meritocracy in Confucian conception; Economy and technology in Confucius’s conception; Law and administration in Confucius’s conception; Education and the arts in Confucius’s conception.
Introductory Conferences
Ion BUZATU, PhD, Ambassador – Opera lui Confucius;
Andrei MARGA, Prof. PhD, Babeș-Bolyai University, Former Minister – Valorificarea lui Confucius în dezvoltarea Chinei și schimbarea lumii;
Wei ZHANG, Professor, Constanța Confucius Classroom, – Confucius Thought and the Mandate of Heaven Concept;
Yuan HE, PhD, Nishan World Center for Confucian Studies, Jinnan, Shandong, China – Harmony in Diversity and Prosperity: the Birthplace of Confucianism.
Contributions
Luminița BĂLAN, Prof. PhD, Bucharest University – The Confucianist Perspective on the Role of Rites in the Construction of the Ideal State;
Marius CUCU, Lecturer PhD, USV, Nicoleta VASILCOVSCHI, University of Science and Technology, Quingdao, Shandong, China – Confluențe confucianiste filosofie, economie, conștiință;
Viorel PATRICHI,journalist – De la Confucius la orizontul lui Deng Xiaoping;
Daniel HRENCIUC, PhD, USV – Influența lui Confucius asupra sistemelor educației ;
Anatolie BAJORA, Lecturer PhD, Hangzhou, China – Despre confucianism în Descrierea Chinei de Nicolae Milescu-Spătaru;
Marius CRISTESCU, Vice-President of România-China Chamber of Commerce – Confucius în cultura universală;
Ecaterina ANDRONESCU,Prof. PhD, Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Former Minister – Perenitatea învățăturii lui Confucius;
Nadi-Corina CERNICA, Lecturer PhD, USV – Confucianismul, filosofie a omului;
Florina PAȘCANU, Professor – Moștenirea lui Confucius;
Florin LUDUȘAN, PhD, Lawyer, Târgu-Mureș – Repere pentru înțelegerea lumii și vieții;
Aura CHRISTI, Publication Director – Imperiul Poeziei: de la Beijing la Hong Kong;
Antonio SANDU, Prof. PhD, USV – The Importance of Confucius’s Work for Posthumanist Technological Thought;
Alexandru Mircea NEDELEA, Associate Professor PhD, USV Marilena Oancea NEDELEA, Associate Professor PhD, USV – Jocul de go, metaforă a dreptului și guvernării în gândirea confucianistă.
19:00 – 20:00
Books about China Published in the Country in Recent Years:
Ion BUZATU, Viața și gândirea lui Confucius, Meteor Press, București, 2009;
Anna Eva BUDURA, China – Vieți în vâltoarea istoriei, Editura Top Form, București, 2014;
Andrei MARGA, China ca supraputere, Editura Niculescu, București, 2022;
Adrian SEVERIN, România și interesul național românesc în contextul dezordinii mondiale actuale, Oscar Print, București, 2025;
Alexandru MIRONOV, Marcela GANEA, Jurnalul Drumului Mătăsii, Editura Științifică și Tehnică, București, 2025.
Friday, 20 March 2026
09:00 – 13:00
Section III: China as a superpower in today’s world
- Themes: China’s global presence; Current Chinese contributions to world science, technology and culture; International trade in China’s vision; World evolution in China’s conception; The role of superpowers in today’s world; World peace and international organizations; Human rights and democracy in China’s conception.
Introductory Conferences
Adrian SEVERIN, Prof. PhD, Bucharest, Former Minister and Deputy Prime Minister – Rolul Chinei în lumea contemporană;
Jinguo GAO, Nishan World Center for Confucian Studies, Jinnan, Shandong – Confucius Positive Thinking in the „Unprecedented Changes in the World in a Century”;
Valentin STAN, Prof. PhD, Bucharest – China între Rusia și SUA;
Flavius CABA-MARIA, President, Middle East Political and Economic Institute – Diplomația Chinei în Orientul Mijlociu: Confucianismul în rezolvarea disputelor regionale/internaționale;
Contribuții
Mihail NEAMȚU, PhD, Member of Parliament – China și SUA lui Donald Trump;
Ionuț COJOCARU, Associate Professor, Bucharest – China ca actor diplomatic: neutralitate de discurs, pragmatism de interes;
Ruizhu SONG, Lecturer, Confucius Institute OF Sibiu – From Traditional Confucianism to Contemporary Values: the Role of Confucius Thought in Modern China’s International Discourse System ;
Corneliu VIȘOIANU, Vice President, Romania–China Chamber of Commerce – Pacea lumii și organizațiile internaționale;
Marian VALER, Former Senator, Cluj- Napoca – Implicații ale relației transatlantice.
15:00 – 18:00
Section IV: Romania’s Cooperation with China
- Themes: China and Europe; The European Union and cooperation with China; Relations between Romania and China and their perspectives. Project proposals.
Introductory Conferences
Viorel ISTICIOAIA-BUDURA, Ambassador – Uniunea Europeană și China;
Viorica DĂNCILĂ, Former Prime Minister, Former Member of the European Parliament, President of the Romania–China House – Prezența Chinei pe glob: rolul superputerilor în lumea de azi;
Nicolae VASILESCU, President of Romania–China Chamber of Commerce – Relațiile România-China și perspectivele lor;
Eugen URICARU, Former President of the Romanian Writers’ Union – Relații cultural-literare între România și China din 2000 până astăzi;
Octavian ȘTIREANU, Former Senator – „Veniți cu investiții chineze!” (cancelarul Merz)
Marian NAZAT, Former Prosecutor, Writer, Bucharest – De la Mencius la …„câmpul tactic” valah;
Florentin TUCA, Lawyer, Zbârcea & Țuca Law Firm, Bucharest – Starea dreptului contemporan;
Dan MICU, Prof. PhD, Cluj-Napoca – Academic Bridges. Teaching and Research Experiences in China and USA;
Antonio ANDRUSCEAC, Vice President, Romania–China Chamber of Commerce – China și Europa;
Andreea NECHIFOR, Confucius Institute of Brașov – China as a Major Actor in Scientific Research and Inovation-oriented Education: Artificial Inteligence in Contemporary China;
Ioan FILIP, PhD, Entrepreneur – Cooperări benefice;
Ionel RÂNJA, PhD, Entrepreneur – Experiența mea de cooperare în China;
Gong CHEN, Professor, Director, Confucius Institute of Iași – Contribution on the Confucius Institute to Sino-Romanian Cultural and People to People Exchanges.
18:00 – 20:00
Section V: Contribution of Confucius Institutes to cooperation between the countries of the world
- Themes: Programs and offer of the Confucius Institutes; Chinese as a language of international communication; Learning Chinese; The role of Confucius classes; Development possibilities in Romania.
Contributions:
Yuyan PAN, Lecturer PhD, Confucius Institute of Bucharest – Confucian Educational Philosophy and Chinese Teaching in the context of the Bologna System: a Romanian perspective;
Jiang LI, Lecturer PhD, Confucius Institute of Bucharest – Research on the Development of Vocational Chinese Teaching Material Sunder the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: a Case Study of Industrial Chinese;
Diana SAVA, Athena Center – Learning Chinese as a Formative Experience;
Cristina MITAR, PhD, Archaeologist, Deva – Surprinzătoare similarității între latină și chineză. Perspectiva romanistului, student în chineză;
Haoying WANG, Lecturer, Confucius Institute of Sibiu – Confucius in My Classroom: a Student’s Encounter with a Living Heritage;
Bing WANG, Associate Professor, Confucius Institute of Brașov – Teacher Capacity Building for Sustainable Confucius Institute Development: a Case Study from Romania;
Yiming WANG, Lecturer, Confucius Institute of Brașov – An Empirical Study on the „Dual-track Digital Writing” Teaching Model for Romanian Children’s Chinese Character Acquisition;
Yuxin DAI, Confucius Institute of Brașov – Challenges in Learning Chinese among Romanian Students, a Pedagogical Analysis of Linqustic Transfer.
20:00
Closing of the Symposium
Saturday, 21 March 2026
09:00 – 15:00

