The International Conference “Area Studies Towards the 21st Century: Global Experiences and China Paradigms” hosted by the Institute of Area Studies, Peking University (PKUIAS) was held on April 12 and 13 at PKU. Nearly fifty scholars and experts from around the world gathered at the conference to discuss the theory, methodology and their experiences in conducting area studies. The conference was part of the institute’s first anniversary celebration, and also a warm-up for the upcoming Second Belt and Road Forum.
Executive Deputy Director of PKUIAS and Dean of PKU's School of Foreign Languages Ning Qi served as the host of the opening ceremony. In attendance was Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Education’s Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges Xu Yongji, PKU Vice President Wang Bo, and Director of PKUIAS Qian Chengdan. They also delivered welcome addresses. Other distinguished guests included Director of the Center for Partnership of Civilizations in the Moscow State Institute of International Relations Veniamin Popov (Russia), and President of INALCO (Institut National des Langues et Civilisation Orientales) Manuelle Franck (France).
Xu Yongji said universities that conduct area studies serve the development of the nation. Over recent years, the Ministry of Education has attached great importance to area studies programs based in universities, and has established 42 incubation bases, giving support to 395 research centers nationwide. As one of the most prestigious universities in China, PKU has played a leading role in area studies. He hopes PKUIAS will focus on the cultivation of research teams, stick to its mission, and establish a platform for extensive exchange with a strong sense of its responsibilities.
PKU Vice President Wang Bo expressed his welcome upon the arrival of the guests. He emphasized that area studies is one of the advanced interdisciplinary studies fields set up at the university level as part of the implementation of the government’s “Double First-Class initiative” strategy program at PKU. Since its establishment last year, PKUIAS has carried out a variety of academic activities, conducted fruit research, and begun to cultivate interdisciplinary talent. He hopes that this conference will generate more sparks of wisdom, spread knowledge of best practices, further integrate the research strengths of different disciplines at PKU, and thereby serve as an academic sharing platform.
Veniamin Popov and Manuelle Franck expressed their gratitude for the invitation from PKUIAS. Both scholars said that they expect to exchange ideas with Chinese and other foreign experts during the conference, explore cooperation in academic research and student cultivation, and jointly promote the further development of area studies in China.
Director of PKUIAS Qian Chengdan pointed out in his speech that with the development of reform and opening-up, China’s status in the world is becoming increasingly important, and the world is also placing higher expectations on China. Under such a circumstance, it is even more urgent for China to understand the world more deeply, comprehensively and meticulously. PKUIAS shoulders the important mission of serving the country’s major strategies and enhancing the overall academic capabilities of PKU’s humanities and social sciences. Since its establishment, PKUIAS has achieved fruitful results in talent cultivation, conducting academic research, think tank function and foreign exchanges. In the future, the institute will continue its effort to foster talent, promote academic research and international cooperation, and serve the development of national strategies. Additionally, the institute will work toward providing the world with Chinese perspectives and theories so that Chinese wisdom and proposals can aid in the resolution of global problems.
After the opening ceremony, scholars including Director of the Center for Partnership of Civilizations in the Moscow State Institute of International Relations Veniamin Popov, Director of the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University Feng Shaolei, Head of the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford Timothy Power, Director of PKU’s Center for European Studies Li Qiang, and Chairperson of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington Jamsheed Choksy, gave keynote speeches on topics, such as building the discipline, theoretical paradigms, and policy guidance in area studies. Experts and scholars from China, France, Russia, Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan and other countries also expressed their views on issues related to area studies from the perspectives of politics, economy, culture, history and environmental science.
In order to enhance the exchanges and dialogues between scholars from different countries and regions, the conference set up six parallel sub-forums, the topics of which are respectively “New World, New Area Studies,” “Theoretical Paradigms of Area Studies,” “Regional Experiences in Area Studies,” “The American Perspective in Area Studies,” “Regional Cooperation and Common Development,” and “Regional Focus: Southeast Asia and the Middle East.” Scholars from various countries and regions provided different answers and experiences on the new challenges facing global development and new problems their own countries have encountered in the process of globalization.
