The meeting of the 2017 China National Association for International Studies Council and a conference to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Shanghai Symposium on Theories of International Relations were held at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) from June 24-25. The conference took as its theme Innovation of Theories Concerning Chinese International Relations and the Development of Theories Concerning Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics. It was jointly sponsored by the China National Association for International Studies (CNAIS), the Shanghai Association for International Studies, Fudan University, the Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS) and SISU, and organized by the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at SISU.
More than 100 renowned experts, scholars and government officials from all over China attended, including Qin Yaqing, the executive vice president of the CNAIS and president of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU); Han Fangming, the vice president of the CNAIS; Jiang Feng, the secretary of the SISU Party Committee; Li Yansong, the president of SISU; Luan Jianzhang, the director of the Policy Research Office of the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC; Yang Jiemian，the president of the Shanghai Association for International Studies; Jin Lei, the deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government; Chen Zhimin, the vice president of the CNAIS and assistant president of Fudan University; Liu Debin, the vice president of the CNAIS and assistant president of Jilin University; Zhu Weilie, the honorary director of the Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) at SISU; Sun Jisheng, the secretary-general of the CNAIS, vice president of CFAU and president and vice president of the China National Society for International Studies Journal.
Executive Vice President of the CNAIS Qin Yaqing spoke at the opening ceremony about recent developments of the association, highlighting the role of first-class think-tanks in developing the theories of Chinese international relations. He also pointed out that more high-level academic activities would be organized to provide a platform for exchanges among experts and scholars. The CNAIS covers nearly one hundred renowned colleges and universities in China with doctoral and master’s degree programs in international relations, world politics and diplomatic studies, as well as research institutes related to international studies, and has engaged many leading experts and scholars in international studies and teaching. The association holds council meetings, symposia, and forums for doctoral students and young scholars. Its annual meeting forms a committee for the evaluation and selection of excellent papers on the study of international relations, involving participants from different levels -- senior experts, young and middle-aged scholars, and doctoral students. The association thus contributes to the establishment of a comprehensive system for professional studies and talents cultivation, laying a solid foundation for the development of Chinese international studies.
President Li Yansong of SISU outlined the goal of SISU: to build a world-class international studies university with distinctive features in national and regional studies, and worldwide knowledge. Later, Vice President of the CNAIS Han Fangming, , and Director of the Research Office of the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC Luan Jianzhang delivered speeches.
Keynote speeches by researcher Yang Jiemian, Professor Liu Debin, and Professor Guo Shuyong, the dean of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at SISU focused on Studies on the Innovation of the Diplomatic Theories with Chinese Characteristics, Public Diplomacy under Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics, and Growing Chinese Consciousness in the Development of Chinese Theories on International Relations and the Prospects of Chinese Schools.
The award ceremony for the 2016 Excellent Papers on the Studies of Chinese International Relations was presided over by Professor Sun Jisheng, the secretary-general of the CNAIS. It started with speeches by Professor Qin Yaqing and Liu Xuedong, the general manager of China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI). Chairman of the Selection Committee and Director of the Social and Humanities Science Research Affairs Office at Yunnan University Professor Li Chenyang reported on the process and results of the evaluation and selection.. The awards were presented by Professor Qin Yaqing and General Manager Liu Xuedong, Professor Liu Debin and President of the China National Society for International Studies Journal Tan Xiuying. Professor Liu Feng from the Zhou Enlai School of Government at Nankai University addressed the ceremony, which closed with concluding remarks by President Tan Xiuying.
Zhang Yichan, an expert from CNKI, gave a lecture on June 25, focusing on The Study and Development of International Relations from the Perspective of Academic Big Data. It was followed by reports from Fang Xiao, the secretary-general of the Shanghai Association for International Studies, and Li Mingcan, the deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, on Reflections on the Study of Social Science in the New Era and How to Strengthen Chinese Consciousness in Theoretical Studies. The reports were followed by comments from Xia Liping, the deputy secretary-general of the CNAIS, and then panel discussions conducted in parallel sessions, covering themes such as the theories of international relations and Chinese diplomacy.
The conference ended with a summary speech by Zhang Jing, the assistant president of SISU.
