In the context of marking the 106th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Trianon (4 June 1920), the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing organized, on Monday, 1 June, at 10:00 a.m., at the Romanian Studies Centre of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), a conference dedicated to the importance of this historical moment.
In the opening of the event, Professor Dong Xixiao, Director of the Centre and Vice Dean at BFSU, spoke about the excellent cooperation with the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing and the series of events organized together. Subsequently, Liviu Țăranu, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing, highlighted the importance of the Treaty of Trianon and then introduced the speaker, historian Florian Banu, one of the important voices of contemporary Romanian historiography. A researcher specialized in the contemporary history of Romania and in economic history studies, Florian Banu has collaborated with prestigious institutions such as the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives, the National Archives of Romania and the “Nicolae Iorga” Institute of History in Bucharest. Author of more than fifteen volumes and numerous specialized studies, Florian Banu is recognized for the rigor of his research and his ability to connect historical analysis with contemporary challenges.
During his lecture, for more than one hour, Florian Banu spoke about the creation of the modern Romanian state under the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza and King Carol I, then about the geopolitical context at the end of the First World War, the process of the Great Union, the negotiations and provisions of the Treaty, the regional relations of the interwar period, as well as the long-term consequences of Trianon on national identities, political discourses and historical memory. Present-day Romania, a member of the European Union and NATO, is the direct heir of the transformations generated by Trianon.
References were also made to the history of Sino-Romanian relations, recalling, from his perspective, the most important moments that shaped the connection between China and Romania, as well as a comparison between the historical experiences of the two countries during the twentieth century.
At the end, historian Florian Banu answered questions from the audience, many of which were related to the minority regime in Romania, the current status of the Hungarian minority and its attitude toward the Treaty of Trianon. He also presented to the audience three of his most recent works published in Romania and donated to the BFSU Library.
