Sept. 17th, 2018, China's Ambassador to Lithuania Shen Zhifei delivered the opening address at the start of Social Innovations Week, and the SOCIN 2018 Conference at Mykolas Romeris University (MRU). Vice-Rector for Education and Research Dr. Inga Žalėnienė delivered the Welcome address. Ambassador Shen Zhifei said China is a friend and partner to Lithuania, despite different histories and size. "We want to be a partner in your development," the Ambassador said, while delivering a short lecture, China's Development, Diplomacy, Sustainable Development in the Context of Globalisation. "Today we are the Number 2 economy in the world. In about a decade we could catch up with the U.S. to be the Number 1 economy," he noted. A panel discussion on Social and Technological Innovations, moderated by MRU Law Prof. Justinas Žilinskas, followed.