#2015CDFEarlyBirdTicket Our Early-Bird Ticket sale for 2015 China Development Forum will be SOON OVER on 25th January (that is NEXT SUNDAY)! Get your ticket now for lower prices. It is more than just a ticket, it is an opportunity for you to communicate with/ask questions to multiple popular speakers. To buy tickers, please click on eshop.lse.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&catid=57&prodid=205 -----------------7 panels to satisfy your appetite------------------- **China’s Relation with its Neighbour Situated right in the center of Asia, China has been the predominant power in the region, both economically and politically. In the modern century, many, despite the country’s seemingly reassuring proclamation of ‘Peaceful Rise’, criticize China for its hegemonic ambition to revert back to its historical preeminence. Some have noted that the promulgation of ‘the Chinese Dream’ inevitably implies coercion and subjugation to neighboring nations that have long grown out of China’s cultural influence. With America’s promise to ‘pivot’ back to Asia to counter rising Chinese clout, the Chinese foreign policy, which some scholars label as incoherent, is put to further test. How can China convince its neighbors of its commitment to truly ‘rejuvenate’? To take a step back, is China genuinely committed or is it just a ploy to temporarily ‘create a favorable international environment’ to allow the inflow of economic profits? How will China’s neighbors in different parts of Asia, with disparate interests, and various degrees of engagement with China react to the country’s growing power? This panel aims to provide a broad perspective on China’s relations with its neighbors and discuss the future direction of China’s foreign policy in Asia. **New Urbanisation Urbanisation is now a prominent subject on the agenda of the Chinese government. In an endeavor to facilitate further progress, Beijing recently announced the reform of the Hukou system, which, as many argue, in its primitive form constituted as an impediment to the country’s long-term economic growth and development. The adjustment to the Hukou system was in part a response to the status quo of the country’s urbanisation process. As of now, more than 51% of the population of China reside in an urban setting, embarking on a stage of new urbanisation in which cities and towns mushroom from the coast to the inland in full swing. Alongside this reality there arises challenges in aspects of demographics, infrastructure and environment. Inequality, for one, is a pressing issue between rural and urban areas: significant income gap, regional disparity in employment level, unequal distribution of social resources, and disproportionate allocation of welfare benefits, so on and so forth. In this panel, we seek to clarify the extent to which further reforms may alleviate socioeconomic inequality. In light of possible impacts of the new hukou policies, we strive to illuminate the strategic importance of a fair and just coordination system between rural and urban areas. **Corruption Issue in China Corruption has been a widely debated topic in many countries across the world. It severely blights a nation’s reputation, and stands as an impediment to further economic growth and development should it persist, or even, intensify. In China, the anti-corruption campaign has been gathering momentum since it began under President Xi’s administration. The large-scale investigations of high-ranking officials, and the vast number of prosecuted government officials underscore the government’s ambition to bring corruption to an end. Recently, it was also announced that a new anti-corruption authority will be established as part of the reform of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, which all the more highlights the increasing rigour of the movement. As China ascends to the world’s No. 1 economy, more and more issues of postmodern characteristics emerged, alongside with strong criticisms directed explicitly towards the country’s developing system of the rule of law. Indeed, the importance of a law-based political configuration can never be overstated, especially when it comes to issues of corruption. In light of the recent promulgation of ‘a country ruled by constitution (Yixian Zhiguo)’, the containment of corruption has officially become one of the most prominent goals on the government agenda. **Soft Power As China’s economic advancement enters into a new phase characterised by Beijing’s plan of ‘deepening reform’, more attention is being given to issues outside of the domain of economy. During his speech in January 2014, President Xi Jinping stated that enhancing China’s national image and developing its soft power should be the new priorities of the government. In his definition of ‘the Chinese Dream’, much rhetoric revolved around the pursuit of national values, the building of comprehensively well-off society, and the realisation of the country’s rejuvenation. The development of soft power has now officially ascended to great political importance, prompting China to adopt a detailed strategic plan to guide itself forward. Indeed, ‘Going global’ is increasingly a goal not only for China’s economy but for its cultural influence as well. With globalisation facilitating ever more interconnectedness among nations’ economy, culture and politics, soft power is crucial for China to voice on the global stage. In this panel, we intend to analyse the world’s perceptions on China’s rise, what difficulties may hinder the internationalisation of China’s soft power, and in what ways can Chinese cultures and values contribute to the world’s fast-changing power configuration. **New Direction of Social Policy in China Spanning over a wide spectrum of social issues, the Chinese government’s social policy has taken on a new direction with a reinvigorated sense of purpose. While reform of the healthcare system is underway, there is still room for improvement in many relevant areas, such as the quality and accessibility of health services, as well as the bureaucratic configuration of the healthcare system. In particular, the aging population of China is greatly in need of the introduction of more health policies that cater specifically to the elderly, and greater accommodation for elderly care in the government’s social policy agenda as a whole. Moreover, the shifting social structure with increasing rural-to-urban migration requires refinement of policies of social governance. In addition to a greater focus on migrant workers issues, family policy and housing policy development also need to be addressed. It is crucial that China is well-equipped with effective policies for social development, so that economic growth can be sustained and further economic development can be facilitated. ** Chinese Culture Going Global For long people have recognized China as one of the world’s most important rising powers. Everyday and everywhere, China figures prominently in global attention. Its global impact is increasingly felt on every continent, in most international institutions, and on many global issues. However, compared to the rapid economic development, the international popularization of the Chinese culture is relatively slow. According to a survey conducted in the United Sates, most Americans know little about Chinese culture and values. Some even misunderstand them. This precisely points to many difficult problems of the outreach of China’s ‘soft influence’. Fortunately, the international popularization of the Chinese language developed rather rapidly, which in turn, contributed to the export of Chinese culture in recent years. The availability of more and more translated Chinese literature has also brought a more integrated picture of Chinese values into the sight of the audience across the globe. As the world progresses towards an ever multi-cultural heterogeneity, the power of ideational forces has again come under the spotlight of many scholarly discussions. Chinese culture, being the manifestation of a wonderfully rich civilization, operates in the (sub)consciousness of almost 20% of all humanity. In this respect, Chinese culture’s ‘Going Global’ will undoubtedly bring significant impacts on the fast-changing social configuration of the entire globe. **New Normal It is estimated that China’s economy would record a GDP growth of 7.4% at the end of 2014, marking yet another consecutive pattern of deceleration. At the Central Economic Work Conference that concluded on 11th December, 2014, Beijing’s roadmap for furthering the economic reforms specifically highlighted this reality of a slowing-down economy, bringing to light many challenges that the country cannot evade. However, despite all the negative indications, the Chinese government has vigorously promoted economic rebalancing, while at the same time consciously avoided large-scale stimulus packages. During the Summer Davos, Premier Li Keqiang explicitly stated that he would not be distracted by minor fluctuations of individual indicators. Nevertheless, given the country’s socioeconomic status quo, some form of adjustment needs to be in place so that China’s current economic underpinnings may be smoothly adapted to what President Xi has termed The New Normal. This year at China Development Forum, we will focus on possible strategic blueprints available to the government, and address relevant questions pertinent to China’s path towards a fully modernized state. In particular, we strive to explicate the macroeconomic prospects of China through an in-depth investigation of the structural defects and advantages in government, market, as well as society as a whole.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 17:58:37 +0000
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