XJTLU to Diaoyutai Guesthouse: IR Students' Model UN Journey

In 2025 Beijing International Model United Nations (BIMUN) conference recently concluded successfully. Guided by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and hosted by China Foreign Affairs University, the opening ceremony took place at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The conference received supportive remarks from international bodies including UN Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres and the Embassy of Switzerland in China. Sun Weidong, China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended and spoke. The event garnered significant attention from authoritative media outlets such as China Media Group, People's Daily Online, and Beijing Daily.

The three-day Model United Nations conference offered participants an intense and highly effective real-world diplomatic experience. From representing nations in consultations and advancing motions to garnering support amidst fierce debate, the event was full of both challenges and opportunities.

Min Baiyuan, a Year Four International Relations student from XJTLU's School of Humanities and Social Sciences, earned the "Best Delegate" certificate for his outstanding performance. This experience not only honed his communication and strategic thinking skills but also profoundly shaped his understanding of the world. Let's follow his account as he recounts this journey of growth, intertwined with ideas and responsibility.

Q1. What was your most lasting impression of this BIMUN conference?

Min Baiyuan:

"This was probably the highest-level conference I've ever attended. The conference adopted the 'Beijing Rules of Procedure,' which significantly improved efficiency compared to traditional Model UN rules. It changed the previous model of drafting long documents and working under late-night deadlines. The three-day conference was almost entirely spent in high-frequency discussions and negotiations. The pace was incredibly tight, but it was also advantageous.

"Even though we were representatives of different countries with varying stances, and the debates were very intense in the conference hall, we got along well privately. After the conference, many of the delegates and I became very good friends."

Q2. As a national delegate, how did you deal with challenges when facing issues that were unfavourable to your country's position?

Min Baiyuan :

"We knew from the start that this agenda item wouldn't favour the country I was representing, so we emphasised strategic flexibility. We didn't just collaborate with delegates who shared similar stances; we also proactively reached out to those who were more marginal or even held opposing views, genuinely listening to their concerns. In Model UN, every single vote is crucial. We worked hard to secure support from neutral delegates, as their backing often proved decisive in passing motions at critical moments. Our strategic philosophy was simple: we weren't aiming for absolute perfection. As long as a proposal could be accepted by the majority of delegates, we considered it a success."

Q3. What do you think are the differences between Model UN and traditional debate competitions?

Min Baiyuan:

"I have participated in many debate competitions before, where the goal is simply to 'win,' and judges decide the outcome based on performance. But Model UN is different. The Presiding Officers don't directly determine the result; instead, the real decision-making power lies with the votes and negotiations among country delegates.

"This made me realise that real-world politics is much closer to Model UN. You can't achieve everything on your own; you have to find ways to get others to support you. Truly effective communication isn't about overpowering your opponent, but about getting them to understand you, agree with you, and ultimately stand with you. Because of this, I started paying more attention to the thoughts of the silent majority. It's not enough just to express yourself; you also need the ability to make others willing to listen."

Q4. Has your Model UN experience brought about personal change and growth?

Min Baiyuan:

"When I first started Model UN, I was afraid to speak up and hesitant to initiate conversations. But the Model UN environment somewhat 'forced' me to express myself and communicate. Because you're representing a country, if you remain silent during the conference, it's as if you don't exist.

"So I tried speaking in small groups and proactively approached other delegates. It was certainly uncomfortable at first, but after speaking more, I realized I could articulate myself clearly. Slowly, the fear disappeared.

"Ultimately, receiving the 'Best Delegate' award was a huge affirmation for me, a way of telling me, 'You can do this.'"

Q5. The conference preparation coincided with final exam week. How did you balance your studies and preparing for the competition?

Min Baiyuan:

"That period was indeed quite stressful. However, what surprised me was how highly relevant the conference's topic, 'Media Freedom and Journalist Safety,' was to what I was learning in my XJTLU classes. Many of the international treaties, cases, and UN background materials were things I had already encountered in my 'International Law' and 'Introduction to International Organisations' courses.

"So, in a way, the process of preparing for the conference became an opportunity to review and apply classroom knowledge.

"Those theoretical concepts, which had seemed a bit abstract, suddenly 'came alive' through this Model UN experience. I gained a deeper understanding of the practical significance behind these rules and a clearer sense of the value in studying these subjects."

Reporter: Ruoling Li

Editor: Yiyi Gu

Translator: Jiaying Zhang