Bibliography unveiled at Shanghai forum

The second World Conference on China Studies concluded on Wednesday in Shanghai, with the unveiling of 54 recommended books written by authors from both China and overseas to help the international community learn about China's history, present and future.

Focusing on the conference's theme of "Historical and Contemporary China: A Global Perspective", the bibliography was selected from research works on China studies published from Jan 1, 2005, to the end of last year.

The 54 books cover an extensive range of fields including history, philosophy, culture, politics, economics, society and languages.

Among these are 40 books authored by overseas scholars from 16 nations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Australia, Russia, Iran, Turkiye, South Africa and Argentina. Their works are presented globally in nine languages including Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

The bibliography also pays tribute to several notable foreign Sinologists and scholars for their significant contributions to global China studies, such as the late Henry Kissinger, Philip A. Kuhn, Ezra F. Vogel, Jacques Gernet and Leon Vandermeersch.

The conference, consisting of one main forum and five sub-forums, opened on Tuesday. About 500 renowned scholars and experts from across the world delved deeply into a wide range of topics, including the continuity and innovation of Chinese civilization in the global context, the theoretical analysis and empirical insights of Chinese modernization, the knowledge system of China studies with a multidisciplinary approach, China studies in the era of digital intelligence, and the youth and future of China studies.

Among them, Chinese modernization was one of the hottest topics, with its sub-forum attracting over 80 experts from 25 countries and regions for an in-depth discussion.

Participants noted that Chinese modernization embodies its unique civilization traits and demonstrates enormous innovation in its practice, offering critical references for the world, especially the Global South nations, to explore their own path of development, according to Zhang Guanzi, director-general and a senior research fellow from the National Academy of Chinese Modernization at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The conference also gathered a large number of young scholars and Sinologists. Coming from diverse cultural and career backgrounds with different nationalities and ages, they held dialogues at sub-forums about shared topics but with different perspectives, together shaping the future of China studies.

"We believe that young Sinologists are not only the torchbearers of China studies, but also the driving force for its future innovation. The cultivation of young Sinologists is, in essence, fostering the future of global Chinese studies," said Gao Jinping, a professor and director of the International Institute of China Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

In addition, the Shanghai Initiative for Global Mutual Learning and Advancement of China Studies was launched at the opening ceremony.

The initiative affirms that China studies is a shared academic endeavor for the whole world with vast prospects and profound significance. It underscores maintaining a global perspective to address shared concerns, upholding an open spirit to deepen exchanges and cooperation, drawing on traditional Chinese wisdom to answer contemporary questions, and encouraging the growth and academic innovation of young scholars.

"The World Conference on China Studies has evolved into a high-level, comprehensive and open international academic platform. We stand ready to join hands with friends from home and abroad to advance the exchange and mutual learning among civilizations, enrich the garden of world civilizations, and jointly forge a brighter future," said the initiative.