On the morning of October 30, 2024, the 19th lecture of the "Cooperation and Development" series, jointly organized by the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University, the Institute of SCO Studies of Shandong University, the Institute for Public Safety Research of Shandong University, and the China-SCO Institute of Economics and Trade, was successfully held at the meeting room on the fourth floor of Huagangyuan South Building. The theme of this lecture is "Trends and Impacts of International Structural Evolution in the Context of the Ukraine Crisis," and the lecture was delivered by Zhao Long, Deputy Director of the Institute of Global Governance at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. The lecture was chaired by Professor Edmund Li Sheng, Distinguished Professor at the School of Political Science and Public Administration and Executive Dean of the Institute of SCO Studies, Shandong University. Faculty members and students from the school participated in the academic exchange and discussion.

Before the official start of the lecture, Professor Edmund Li Sheng presented Professor Zhao Long with a certificate appointing him as a researcher at Shandong University's SCO Institute, expressing warm welcome to Professor Zhao's joining. Li Haiyan, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Politics and Public Administration, also attended the lecture, welcoming Professor Zhao and presenting him with a souvenir.

At the beginning of the lecture, Professor Zhao Long first introduced the current situation of the Ukraine crisis, pointing out that Europe and even the globe have fallen into a deadlock with the Ukraine crisis on "two fronts," with the window for resolving the dilemma hovering between "fighting while negotiating" and a state of "not willing to yield in fighting, unable to afford defeat, and unable to reach a consensus in negotiations" due to the interaction of various forces. Subsequently, he elaborated in detail on the trends in international structural evolution against the backdrop of the current Ukraine crisis, including the transition of changes in the international system from superficiality to essence, the spread of the crisis in regional order from "point to area," the shift of great power rivalry from simplicity to complexity, the transformation of difficulties in global governance from issues to systems, and the accelerated differentiation and reorganization of the world trade landscape. Professor Zhao Long, combining international hot-button issues with a wealth of data and examples, interpreted the complexity and uncertainty of the current international situation in an easy-to-understand manner, and put forward valuable suggestions for China to develop a top-level design for diplomacy, forge an efficient diplomatic landscape, conform to the new themes of the times, and adapt to the new trends in the evolution of the international landscape.

During the interactive session, faculty and students engaged in lively discussions and exchanges around topics such as the impact of the U.S. general election on the Russia-Ukraine situation, China's role and responsibilities in the international landscape, and the development trends of the future international landscape. Professor Edmund Li Sheng expressed gratitude for Professor Zhao Long's presence and sharing, noting that China should maintain strategic focus amidst the current evolution of the international landscape, enhance its internal capabilities, address its shortcomings, and fulfill its responsibilities as a great power.

This lecture provided a platform for participating faculty and students to further understand the changes in the international landscape and adjustments in great power relations under the influence of the current Ukraine crisis. The School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University remains committed to providing high-quality academic resources for its faculty and students, both domestically and internationally. We encourage continued attention to the school’s updates and the "Cooperation and Development" lecture series organized by the Institute of SCO Studies.