Seventh World Forum on China Studies opens in Shanghai

The Seventh World Forum on China Studies opened in Shanghai on Sunday, receiving over 180 sinologists from 30 countries and regions.

Themed on "China in a New Era," the biennial event came after the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, during which the CPC unveiled Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office, delivers a keynote speech at the Seventh World Forum on China Studies in Shanghai on Dec. 10, 2017. [Photo by Wu Xiaoshan/China SCIO]

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, said the international community of China studies should keep abreast with China's development in the new era by standing in the forefront of the great changes now unfolding.

Jiang, who is also the minister of the State Council Information Office, said he hoped that the scholars in this field will help explain Chinese stories, interpret the country's goal of national rejuvenation, introduce Chinese values and concepts, and share the Chinese vision of universalism.

"In the past, China's leadership may regard many things as matters for internal Chinese affairs, while in this new era, there will be new expectations from the world to understand as much as possible of what China's doing," said former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at the forum.

Speaking in fluent mandarin, Rudd called on the scholars to analyze and explain Chinese ideas and concepts, properly synthesize available information, and try to forge common interest and common values in cross-cultural and inter-civilization communication.

John Ross, senior fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, said he saw the meaning of China's new era is two-fold.

On one hand, Ross said it indicates that the country should cope with the principal contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, as is illustrated in the report to the 19th CPC National Congress. On the other hand, China also needs to achieve medium-to-high growth against the backdrop of slowing global economy.

He said that China's economic, geopolitical and foreign policy philosophies are the most advanced in the world, and China should continue to stick to the existing path despite Western suspicions.

During the forum, several roundtables were held discussing topics including balanced development, cultural confidence, institutional building, and major country diplomacy for China's development in a new era.

The two-day event was co-sponsored by the State Council Information Office and the Shanghai Municipal Government; it was co-organized by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and the Shanghai Municipal Information Office.