Conference Background

China’s rapid emergence as a global economic power has created strong demand throughout the world for cutting-edge research and policy analysis on contemporary China. This international forum is to be established to bring together key research institutions, scholars, policy makers and industry leaders world-wide to form a platform aimed at facilitating the exchange of research and policy ideas related to China and its impact.

To mark the establishment of this Forum, the University of Nottingham, the Brookings Institution, the Policy Ad visory Committee of the China Western Returned Scholars Association as well as China Overseas Returnees Scholars Network are hosting an inaugural conference to be held 19-21 November 2008 at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

The University of Nottingham is a world-class university; its current ranking in the university league tables is top 10 in the UK and top 70 world-wide. The School of Contemporary Chinese Studies, including its China Policy Institute and the Confucius Institute, has become one of the largest and strongest research centres on Contemporary China in the UK and Europe.

Following this inaugural conference, an annual conference will be held in different parts of the world, including China, Europe and the United States of America.

Conference Themes

The central theme of the conference is the exploration of the dynamics, trends and policy issues affecting China’s sustainable development after three decades of reform. Scholars and PhD students are invited to submit papers to address, but not limited to, the following subjects:

I. Globalisation and China’s economic and business development

• Recent developments in China’s financial sector and stock market
• The credit crisis in the US and its impact on China and the global economy
• China’s ongoing global strategy progress, constraints and impacts
• Thirty years of economic reforms: achievements, constraints, and prospects

II. China’s rise and international relations

• New roles, responsibilities and accountability in international affairs
• Principles and policy implications of the “harmonised world” approach
• Overseas Chinese, international migration and impacts on China’s rise
• International conventions, human rights and China’s development
• The international impact of Chinese enterprises going global and aid projects

III. Roles of science and technology in China’s sustainable development

• Progress, limitations and potential of China’s science and technology
• Importance of international cooperation in China’s sustainable development
• Role of professionals, scholars and students in knowledge transfer to China
• Policy issues related to China’s sustainable development and innovation

IV. Social justice, sustainability and policy interventions

• Development, potential and policies of civil society organisations in China
• Roles of international NGOs in China’s social and sustainable development
• Public participation, community development and civil society organisations
• International comparison of public service policies and institutions

Guest Speakers

Several leading figures have been invited to address the conference at the opening session. The list of invited guest speakers includes:

• Peter Mandelson, EU Trade Commissioner;
• Lord Mark Malloch Brown, Minister of UK Foreign &Commonwealth Office
• Sir David Brewer, CBBC Chairman, UK
• John Hutton, Minister of Trade and Industry, UK
• Ms FU Ying, Ambassador of the Chinese Embassy, UK
• Ms CHEN Zhili, Vice Chairwoman of the Chinese People’s Congress
• Mr XU Jialu, former Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Congress
• Professor LIN Yifu, Chief economist and vice-president of the World Bank
• Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor elect of Nottingham University
• Professor LI Junru, Vice President of the School of Central Communist Party
• Professor RAO Zhihe, President of Nankai University

Other invited speakers include:

• Wing Thye Woo, the Brookings Institution, USA
• Shuijie Yao, Nottingham University, UK
• WANG Huiyao, China Western Returned Scholars Association, China
• TANG Min, Development Studies Centre of the State Council
• Yongnian Zheng, Nottingham University, UK;
• Jon Sigurdson, The Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden
• Hong Liu, Manchester University, UK;
• Peter Ho, University of Groningen, Netherlands
• WANG Shaoguang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Conference organising committee

Professor Shujie YAO (Chairman, University of Nottingham)

Professor WANG Huiyao ( China Western Returned Scholars Association)

Mr. Richard PASCOE ( University of Nottingham)

Dr Bin WU ( University of Nottingham)

Conference secretary general, Dr Bin WU

Conference administrator, Miss Davina Malcolm

Outcomes

We plan to publish an edited book by Routledge.

Registration

All attendees should register online or send a completed registration form to the conference organiser by post or email. Standard registration fee is £95. A discounted rate for early registration is £70 for those who register before 31 July 2008. The registration fee for PhD students is £40.

Deadlines

• Submission of abstracts: 30 May 2008
• Notification of acceptance of abstracts 16 June 2008
• Early registration (online or by email) 31 July 2008
• Submission of full papers 30 September 2008
• The draft programme 15 October 2008.

Contacts

Conference secretary general, Dr Bin Wu

General inquiry, abstract/paper submission, Miss Davina Malcolm

davina.malcolm@nottingham.ac.uk, tel. 0044 115 8467769.

Specific inquiries and further details, Dr Bin Wu, Bin.wu@nottingham.ac.uk