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Global China Academy Invites Academic Visitors from Tsinghua and Four Other Universities to the UK (August 17-23, 2024)
In early June 2024, Professor Zhao contacted me regarding two academic exchange programs: the first is a 22-day visit (July 27 to August 17) by Professor Zhao Kejin to study modern British modernization and its global development experience; the second is a 7-day visit (August 17 to 23) by scholars from four universities in Beijing and Shanghai to the UK, focusing on the development of artificial intelligence and global governance. These visits are part of the implementation of the collaborative initiatives discussed during Professor Zhao’s visit to the Global China Academy Center on January 20, 2024, and they also serve as a concrete step toward fulfilling the wish of the late Professor Li Qiang (1950-2023), founding dean of Tsinghua University’s School of Social Sciences and former Chinese Chairman of the Global China Academy Council, to continue strengthening the relationship between the two institutions.
To this end, the Academy’s Board of Trustees and Council have placed great importance on the visit of scholars from Tsinghua and other Chinese institutions to the UK, with the aim of continuing and deepening the cooperative relationship with the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University. Professor Tony McEnery, Chair of the Academy Council, and I jointly signed the invitation letter based on a previous invitation template, specifying that all event arrangements and services will be provided by the Global China Academy, with the costs covered by the Global Industry Research Institute at Tsinghua University. Despite the visit taking place during the holiday period, our Academy will ensure that leaders or fellows from different areas of the Academy will participate in every key event.
Regarding transportation and accommodation, we outsourced these aspects appropriately, while for dining, we upgraded the standards accordingly and proactively included a clause in the contract stating that any additional costs would be covered by the Academy. Based on decades of experience in exchanges with Chinese scholars, we added the concept of ‘enjoying international cuisine and making friends from all over the world’ to the traditional Chinese intellectual principle of ‘reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles.’ For Chinese people, who value food as a vital part of life, ‘enjoying international cuisine’ is a way to practice the idea of the renowned Chinese sociologist and anthropologist Fei Xiaotong, which emphasizes ‘appreciating one’s own beauty, appreciating the beauty of others, sharing in beauty, and achieving harmony in the world’ or ‘harmony in diversity.’
Below is a summary of daily activities with related images, not only to record the events but also to ensure the authenticity, fairness, and transparency of the academic work, showcasing the efforts we have made.
Field Visits on British Modernization and Its Global Development Experience (July – August 2024)
On January 20, 2024, Professor Zhao Kejin, Deputy Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, visited the Global China Academy Centre. He brought with him the last wish of the late Professor LI Qiang (1950-2023), former Chinese Chair of the Global China Academy Council—namely, to continue developing the relationship between the two institutions. Professor Zhao also discussed matters of cooperation. Additionally, he brought a gift from Professor FANG Lili, President of the China Chinese for Anthropology of Arts, her book Fei Xiaotong’s Inquiry: How Human Society Can Achieve ‘Beauty in Diversity and Shared Harmony’, as well as a personal gift of his own books.
As the Chinese Chair of the Global China Academy Council, the sudden passing of Professor LI Qiang in December last year was a significant loss for our academy【Note 1】. We remember with gratitude his support for our work over the past decade and his contributions to the cooperative relationship between the two academies. For example, during the 6th Global China Dialogue: Governance for World Peace, he recommended Professor ZHAO Kejin to come to the UK to deliver the closing address. During the preparation for the 7th Global China Dialogue: Reforming Global Governance, he confirmed that the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University would be a supporting institution for the Global China Dialogue series, with Tsinghua University’s Institute for Global Industry as a sponsor. He also arranged for all Chinese speakers, including those from the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he ensured that our 7th Global China Dialogue was successfully held as a hybrid event at the British Academy in 2021.
To further strengthen and consolidate the connection between the two parties, we hope to continue and deepen this cooperative relationship through collaboration with the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University. The academy places great importance on the visits of Tsinghua scholars to the UK, and the invitation letter was jointly signed by Professor Tony McEnery, Chair of the Academy Council, and myself. We directly handle and arrange academic exchanges with British experts and scholars. Unlike previous outsourced commercial services, our administrative team has ensured that key reception activities will be personally overseen by our team leaders. Additionally, at the request of Tsinghua University, we have arranged volunteers, friends, and professionals in locations such as London, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Cambridge to assist or accompany the visitors. We also established a WeChat group to share information promptly, ensuring that each stage of the visit runs smoothly. In this context, Professor Zhao Kejin conducted a study tour from July 27 to August 16, focusing on modern British modernization and its global development experience. The following is a brief chronological review of this process, presented with images and text.
This time, there were two visiting projects from Tsinghua University: one was Professor ZHAO Kejin’s field visits on modern British modernization and its global development experience from July 27 to August 16; the other was a visit by representatives from four universities in Beijing and Shanghai to the UK from August 17 to 23, focusing on the development of artificial intelligence and global governance. At the request of Tsinghua University, we arranged for volunteers, friends, professionals and academic in London, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Cambridge to assist or accompany the visitors. We also established a WeChat group to promptly share information, ensuring that each stage of the visit proceeded smoothly. The following is a brief chronological review of this process, presented with images and text.
On July 27, the academy’s event officer Kai Liang welcomed Professor Zhao Kejin, his wife, and his son at London Heathrow Airport (T2) at 17:45. Due to delays at customs, they did not arrive at The Madonna Halley Hotel’s The Shisha Garden until 20:30. This is a Greek garden restaurant with an exotic atmosphere, adorned with lush vegetation and carefully designed lighting, creating a mysterious and enchanting ambiance. The academy’s logistics manager, David Liu, and I hosted a welcoming dinner for them there.
The dinner was also diverse, featuring dishes such as the mezze platter, which included halloumi cheese, hummus, tzatziki, pita bread, olives, cucumber, and tomato salad; and the chicken mezze platter, which also included chicken breast slices in addition to the above items. Everyone was particularly impressed with the halloumi cheese, noting that it resembled dried tofu. There were also mixed wraps, including marinated chicken breast and lamb with tzatziki sauce, sweet chili sauce, gherkins, and pink pickles, all wrapped in tortillas and served with chips or salad; and Caesar chicken wraps, featuring crispy chicken fillets, lettuce, tomato, Caesar dressing, and a hint of sweet chili sauce, also wrapped in tortillas and served with chips or salad. Additionally, there were nachos topped with cheese and meat, accompanied by salsa, sour cream, guacamole, pickled jalapeños, and cheese dip. These dishes showcased a fusion of flavours, offering a variety of textures and taste experiences, emphasizing a different kind of culinary delight and shared dining style compared to Chinese cuisine.
GCA Life Fellow Professor ZHU Guanglei and His Family’s Visit to the UK (2-11 August 2024)
Following the first year of implementing the ‘Reform and Opening-up Policy’ by the Global Chinese Academy Center in 2023, Professor ZHU Guanglei, a Lifetime Fellow of the Global Chinese Academy and former Vice President of Nankai University, visited the United Kingdom from August 2 to 11, 2024. This marked the first time the Academy hosted a Fellow from China. We hope that further exchanges with Professor Zhu will help expand our connections and influence with China and related academic circles, while also promoting the warm reception provided by the Fellows’ Home to Fellows and their families, setting an example for global Fellow receptions. Although Professor Zhu’s visit was brief, the entire experience is worth sharing here for the reference of Fellows and related units of the Academy worldwide.
1. Invitation Arrangements
In early June 2024, Professor ZHU Guanglei contacted me, indicating that he would be visiting the UK during the summer holidays. After communicating with Professor Peter Schröder, the Vice President for Fellowships, we jointly issued an invitation letter to President Zhu [Note 1]. The invitation letter clearly stated that, as a Fellow of the Academy, both he and his family were welcome to stay at our Fellows’ Home for a week free of charge (see item 12 of Fellowship benefits, which also includes several other benefits). Professor Zhu expressed his desire to expand his academic influence through his visit to the UK and interactions with the Academy. He also offered to deliver an academic lecture and provided two topics: ‘The Process and Logic of Government Function Transformation’ and ‘Ten New Characteristics of the Changing Class Structure in China at the Current Stage.’ Since his itinerary also included extensive exchanges with the University of Glasgow, he planned to visit Glasgow first and then proceed to London. While he expressed his gratitude to the Academy, he had already booked a hotel and therefore would not be staying at our Fellows’ Home. We regret this and hope to use this opportunity to widely promote the Fellow benefits offered by the Academy. This way, in the future, Fellows and their families can avoid incurring additional expenses for accommodation and transportation when they visit London, as was the case with President Zhu and his family.
2. Glasgow Activities
Based on Professor Zhu’s itinerary, they were in Glasgow from August 2 to 7, where their activities were hosted and arranged by Professor Jane Duckett, Director of the Scottish Centre for China Research in the Department of Politics at the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow. Here, we will share just two examples.
The following photos show scenes from Professor Zhu’s visit to Glasgow City Hall. The photo on the left was taken in a meeting room or council chamber, where the ornate woodwork reflects the Victorian era’s attention to detail, with intricate carvings that represent the architectural style and craftsmanship of that period. Stained glass windows, a major feature of the interior of Glasgow City Hall, depict symbolic patterns or city emblems, showcasing Glasgow’s history and culture. In the photo on the right, the ceiling’s carvings and paintings are exceptionally exquisite, with extensive use of marble and gold leaf decorations, highlighting the authority and wealth of the city government at the time. The large historical oil paintings and intricate iron railings further emphasize the significance of the City Hall as a symbol of urban power. As a symbol of the city, the City Hall reflects Glasgow’s historical and cultural development and social changes over different periods.
Due to Professor Zhu’s visit to South Korea, his vacation in the UK was postponed to early August, overlapping with the visit of Professor ZHAO Kejin, Vice Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, to Glasgow. With the help and coordination of Professor Zhu, a meeting between Professor Jane Duckett and Professor Zhao Kejin was arranged. The following photo, from left to right, shows: Professor Zhao’s wife, Duo Long (Foreign Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Glasgow), Professor Jane Duckett, Professor ZHAO Kejin, Professor ZHU Guanglei, and Professor ZHOU Shen (Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute and Economics Professor at Nankai University). Afterward, they toured the campus with the staff of the Confucius Institute.
3. Activities in Central London and Surrounding Areas
Around 7 pm. on August 8, I visited the hotel where Professor Zhu and his family were staying in Willesden Green to welcome them. Thanks to Professor Zhu’s thoughtfulness, the postcode is NW2, just a 20-minute drive from the GCA Fellows’ Home (NW7). In a city as vast as London, you could almost call us neighbours! Inspired by the traditional Chinese intellectual ideal of ‘reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles,’ I added two more phrases: ‘dining on international cuisine and making friends from all corners of the world.’ I chose a nearby Turkish restaurant, Lezziz Charcoal Grill, to host them. The restaurant has a simple yet warm decor and offers authentic Turkish kebabs and a variety of Mediterranean dishes. The top left photo shows our ‘big family photo’ (from left to right): Professor Zhu’s son, daughter-in-law, wife, granddaughter, Professor Zhu himself, and me. After enjoying a rich Mediterranean salad, the barbecue feast that followed was about twice the size of what’s shown in the bottom left photo, and the desserts and tea that came afterward were also quite special.
During the meal, we discussed the differences between Chinese and Turkish cuisine, from their forms to their content, and appreciated their attitude of ‘admiring the beauty of others’ and ‘harmony in diversity’ (Fei Xiaotong’s term). Professor Zhu mentioned that restaurants in the UK are livelier than those in China. However, on the way back after dinner, I noticed that quite a few restaurants were rather quiet, which suggests that my choice was not bad, and everyone seemed quite satisfied. I believe that time abroad is precious, and aside from clothing, the experiences of food, accommodation, and travel should all differ from those in our home country.
From August 9 to 10, accompanied by friends and the Academy’s Operations Manager, David Liu, Professor Zhu and his family visited various attractions in London and the surrounding areas.
On the afternoon of the 10th, Professor Zhu and his family came to GCA Fellows’ Home, where they received a warm welcome. The following photos, from left to right and top to bottom, show: me giving a brief introduction to the day’s activities; Professor Zhu presenting a gift to the Academy. He explained that it is a ‘Lotus and Surplus’ New Year painting from Yangliuqing, Tianjin [Note 2], and he wished it would bring good fortune to the Global China Academy. Following this, Professor ZHAO Kejin presented small gifts to both me and Ingrid Cranfield, the former chair of the Academy’s Board of Trustees and the president of Global Century Press.
The following is an expanded ‘big family photo,’ which includes three generations of Professor Zhu’s family (five members) and a friend, Professor Zhao’s family of three, and four staff members from the Academy. In addition to Ingrid and me, the photo also includes Operations Manager David Liu (fourth from the right in the back row) and Project Manager Li Yu (first on the right in the back row). I appreciate both of them for driving and accompanying the two families on visits to Oxford and other places respectively.
Next is free discussion time (see photos below).
The dinner was a Western-style meal, held in two separate dining rooms: 10 people in the main dining room, and Professor Zhu’s son and his family of three in the garden dining room (as shown in the top left and right of the photos below). It was only afterward that we realized the three courses represented a combination of Italian, French, and British flavors.
- The starter consisted of two parts: one part was a Mediterranean-style seasoned avocado, where the avocado was halved and pitted, then drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and sprinkled with black pepper. This dish highlighted the creamy texture of the avocado and its subtle nutty flavour, while the tanginess of the balsamic vinegar and the fruitiness of the olive oil added layers of complexity. The other part of the starter was a beetroot salad with basil and cashews, made with beets handpicked from a nearby farm, boiled, and then mixed with fresh basil leaves and cashews, all tossed in olive oil to create a refreshing salad with a hint of nutty flavour.
- The main course: Since Professor Zhu mentioned he wanted to have grilled fish, we prepared gratinéed salmon with samphire, buttered potatoes, and purple sprouting broccoli. This dish incorporated many classic elements of French cuisine and can thus be classified as a French-inspired dish.
- Dessert: Apple and blackberry pie with cream, all homemade by Ingrid. This is a classic British dessert, combining the sweetness of apples with the slight tartness of blackberries. The pie had a crispy crust and a juicy filling, complemented by smooth, rich homemade white cream. The white of the cream contrasted beautifully with the golden pie crust and the deep red-purple of the fruit filling, enhancing the overall dining experience. The combination of the creamy milk flavour and the fruity aroma of the pie created a striking taste contrast, offering a very comforting culinary experience. [Note 3]
Most importantly, every apple and blackberry used to make these two pies was handpicked by Ingrid herself. We hope that our Fellows and their families can truly feel at home at the GCA Fellows’ Home and take away fond memories of familial warmth.
After dinner, having coffee and tea—a dining habit that combines elements of health, tradition, culture, and social interaction—added much enjoyment and benefit to the evening. The following photos show scenes of everyone chatting and drinking from the dining room to the garden, with everyone leaving fully satisfied.
The photo on the bottom right was taken the next morning when I went to Professor Zhu’s residence to bid farewell to his family. When asked if he felt homesick after coming to the UK, he replied, ‘My whole family is here, and we’ve enjoyed the home-like hospitality at the Fellows’ Home, so of course, I’ll miss this home!’ As I watched the minibus take Professor Zhu and his family to the airport, I felt a deep sense of admiration for the seamless coordination among our colleagues and team during this first-time reception of a Fellow and his family at our Fellows’ Home.
Notes:
Impressions and Reflections on Visiting Birmingham in the UK
Impressions and Reflections on Birmingham in the UK[1]
July 30-31, 2024
ZHAO Kejin, YUAN Lijuan
On July 30th, after approximately a two-hour journey, departing from the scholarly haven of Oxford, rich with academic atmosphere, we arrived at the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham.! Birmingham, as the industrial hub of central England, is also the second-largest city in the UK after London, and it’s a magical place with many stories!
For many who still perceive the UK through the various news of the British royal family or the Premier League teams, it’s unavoidable to recognize the over 200 years of industrialization that the UK began. This era propelled human technology, wealth, art, and life to a peak period, significantly widening the modern development gap between the East and the West! We can’t help but ask, did all this originate merely from the bubbles rising in Watt’s eyes?
Next to our hotel was the ancient canal path of Birmingham, with many old buildings and facility remnants from its days as a loading and unloading dock still preserved. One can imagine the bustling scenes and the sweaty work environment of the past, as people laboured hard for a better future! In the period around 1776, Britain’s production was still backward, markets were fragmented, and there were some gaps between people and a life of more wealth and freedom! Many people traveled long distances, setting sail across the ocean to seek a free and beautiful world, while those who stayed had to think hard within the existing structure to seek breakthroughs!
Top Left Photo: This is a view of the canal area in central Birmingham, featuring historical landmarks such as ‘Regency Wharf’ and ‘Rum Runner Works,’ part of the city’s extensive canal network. The photo shows the coexistence of red brick buildings and modern architecture, highlighting the blend of old and new in this area. Top Right Photo: This is Brindley place and its surrounding areas in central Birmingham, known for its beautiful canal scenery, historical buildings, and modern facilities. The modern buildings on the left contrast with the historical buildings on the right, with high-rise buildings and bridges over the canal adding layers to the cityscape, showcasing the city’s diverse development and vibrant urban character. Bottom Left Photo: This is a building in Birmingham’s canal area, with an old crane and pulley system on top, once used for canal cargo loading and unloading, symbolizing the canal trade and industrial activity of the past. The large mural depicting plants on its exterior wall combines industrial, artistic, and historical elements of the canal area. Bottom Right Photo: This is an iron bridge in Birmingham’s canal area, manufactured in 1827 by the Horseley Iron Works in Staffordshire, known for high-quality iron products. The bridge showcases 19th-century industrial technology and design, reflecting the engineering and manufacturing achievements of the British Industrial Revolution.
Birmingham is indeed the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. However, the secret of British industrialization has not been extended to ecological research. Britain, an island nation surrounded by the sea, relied heavily on maritime transport. However, focusing only on the sea wouldn’t have led to the Industrial Revolution, as seen in Indonesia and India, where no such revolution occurred. The British Industrial Revolution was closely linked to canal digging, similar to China’s Grand Canal and the Red Flag Canal in Linzhou, Henan.
Before the 18th century, Britain had no canal system of its own. The presence of the Pennine and Cambrian Mountains caused rivers like the Thames, Severn, and Trent to flow into the North Sea and the Irish Sea, preventing inland water retention and hindering transportation. Carriage transport was backward. However, as factory handcrafts transformed into machine-driven large-scale industry, with factories emerging in 1721, Watt inventing the steam engine in 1776, trains appearing in 1830, and a nationwide railway network established by 1850, it’s clear that railways were a result, not a driver, of industrialization. Over a century before railways, industrialization accelerated due to the construction of the Bridgewater Canal in 1759.
The digging of canals was spurred by coal and iron ore discoveries in Manchester and Birmingham, with canal transport capacity far exceeding that of carriages. This success prompted British merchants to invest in canal systems. James Brindley planned the Grand Cross Canal, linking Liverpool on the west coast, the Mersey River, and London on the east coast, the Thames River, with the Humber River and Severn River ports. Birmingham, at the intersection of this canal, gained immense industrialization opportunities, poised at this historical crossroads to seize them.
Thus, Birmingham is an industrial city pulled by the Grand Cross Canal, the mother river of British industrialization. This foundation led to the development of the Grand Junction Canal, transforming Britain’s ecological system and setting the stage for industrialization. The engine of the British Empire was ignited, leading the UK into a new era of world history.
Top Left Photo: This is a serene section of the canal area in Birmingham, with three Canadian geese (Branta canadensis) leisurely swimming. The sign on the building’s lower right corner reads ‘The Malt House,’ a historic restaurant or pub in the canal area, showcasing the perfect blend of nature and man-made structures. Top Right Photo: This is a view of the canal area in central Birmingham, with historic red brick industrial or warehouse buildings on the left, now possibly repurposed for modern use, and modern glass buildings on the right, highlighting the stark contrast between old and new. Bottom Photo 1（from left to right）: This is a view from inside a canal tunnel in Birmingham, looking out towards the red brick buildings and the small path along the canal, with bridges and modern buildings in the distance, showcasing the blend of old and new in the canal area. Bottom Photo 2: This is part of the ‘Mailbox’ building in central Birmingham, a landmark combining shopping, dining, hotels, and offices. The photo shows restaurant or bar signs like ‘BOX’ and ‘Pitcher & Piano,’ located within the Mailbox. The architectural style blends modern and traditional elements, reminiscent of commercial areas near Shanghai’s City God Temple, perhaps inspiring modern large shopping and entertainment complexes. Bottom Photo 3: This is the exterior of a traditional pub in Birmingham, with signs by the door listing services such as traditional hand-pulled ales and ciders, heated smoking area, open fire, bar snacks, and disabled facilities, reflecting the traditional décor and typical atmosphere of British pubs. Bottom Photo 4: This is a statue of Edward VII in Victoria Square, Birmingham, with the base inscription explaining his reign as King of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910. As the eldest son of Queen Victoria, during his reign, he significantly enhanced Britain’s position on the international stage and its social progress by promoting social reforms and modern diplomatic policies. Victoria Square is also home to many other historical monuments and artworks, as well as important buildings like the Birmingham Town Hall and the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
If James Brindley’s planning of the Grand Cross Canal started the engine that ushered the UK into a new era of world history, then James Watt’s discovery of steam’s industrial value and his invention of the machines to harness that value radically transformed human production and lifestyle. Following Watt, many others pushed these unprecedented discoveries and inventions to new heights.
These two photos were taken at Birmingham’s Thinktank Science Museum, located at Millennium Point, an interactive science museum showcasing various exhibits from the Industrial Revolution to modern technology. Left Photo: This is an ancient steam locomotive, demonstrating the complexity and aesthetics of mechanical manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution. The design includes large drive wheels, a complex piping system, and various valves and instruments. Its working principle involves burning coal or wood to heat water, generating steam whose pressure drives pistons, which in turn rotate the wheels, showcasing the engineering achievements and technological progress of the steam power era. Steam locomotives were widely used in industrial and transportation fields in the 19th and early 20th centuries, propelling the progress of the Industrial Revolution. Right Photo: This is a high-wheeled bicycle (Penny-farthing) that was very popular in the late 19th century. The design aimed to increase riding speed since a larger front wheel could cover more distance per rotation. However, due to its instability and tendency to cause falls, it was later replaced by safer and more practical modern bicycles.
Our world is a time-space combination based on energy. With humanity’s current cognitive abilities, we can only perceive and utilize about 5% of time-space energy, with much of the unknown world awaiting our exploration! The exploratory spirit of Watt and his successors, given their limited resources, has already created such a brilliant situation. Imagine the future with countless possibilities, where we seek the value of life in the interplay of the finite and the infinite! What we can see is always just a small part of the totality we possess. Discovery pertains to stock; invention pertains to increment; exploration pertains to infinity. This perhaps embodies the profound and implicit meaning of Chinese words. In the longing for a better life, there is no difference among various races, countries, or civilizations!
During our two-day flying visit in Birmingham, another deeply touching aspect was the presence of a group of people from our homeland, overseas Chinese! For livelihood or studies, they left their homeland, rooted themselves here, and sought development at the intersection of Eastern and Western civilizations, facing imaginable difficulties and challenges! However, they are a wise group, finding suitable living spaces with their strong vitality, integrating into the local energy environment, and becoming one with it! Whether from Darwin’s natural selection or the Chinese saying that ‘a tree thrives by moving, and a person thrives by relocating,’ migration is about opening up new energy fields.
Left Photo: President Wang Shubin of the British Avenue Consulting Group with his colleagues (middle front row and back row) hosted a Cantonese meal for Professors Zhao and Yuan at Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant, ranked third among the best Chinese restaurants in Birmingham. Right Photo (from left to right): Dr Yongjian Li, Prof ZHAO Kejin, Ms YUAN Lijuan and Dr Mengda WU in front of a blue plaque commemorating Professor Li Siguang at the University of Birmingham.
Photo 1（from left to right）: Above the commemorative plaque for Professor Li Siguang pointed out by Professor Zhao Kejin, from top to bottom, are plaques for Charles Lapworth (1882-1923, pioneering work on mountain range formation), Frederick Shotton (1949-1974, advancing understanding of climate change), and Professor Li Siguang (1889-1971, geologist and politician, made pioneering contributions to Chinese geology and natural resource research, received a doctorate from the University of Birmingham in 1927). Photo 2: Chris and Maggie with Professors Zhao and Yuan in front of the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower (Old Joe) at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Campus, showcasing the university’s history and neoclassical architectural style. Photos 3 and 4 (from left to right): Ms YUAN Lijuan, Prof ZHAO Kejin, Dr Yongjian Li, Dr Mengda Wu and Dr Deqing Rong of Birmingham University looking up at the clock tower.
The spread of human civilization is accompanied by human migration, with outward movement always being a positive choice for growth! A child cannot be sheltered under their parents’ wings forever, nor can a nation remain isolated in arrogance! The fusion of different bloodlines and genes gives birth to greater wisdom; stagnation and self-righteousness are undesirable! Buddhism teaches that despising others is a great sin, perhaps laying a spiritual foundation for integration! This integration does not mean the disappearance of uniqueness but finding commonality in differences, learning from others to accurately position oneself, and giving the unknown world necessary respect![2] Just like Birmingham’s extensive canal network or China’s historical Grand Canal, utilizing existing waterways and creating new channels have facilitated communication and trade across regions, diminishing divisions and differences, while conflict and opposition often come with isolation and barriers!
As the train heads towards Manchester, the scenery outside the window keeps shifting, and the future awaits our continuous exploration…
Edited by Xiangqun Chang, 1st August 2024
[1] Editor’s Note: This blog is edited by Xiangqun Chang. The extensive footnotes aim to use the blog as an example for help to understand the Global China Academy. The captions of all the photos, proofreading, and English translation were assisted by ChatGPT-4o.
- Professor ZHAO Kejin, Vice Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Director of the Global Industry Research Institute at Tsinghua University, along with his wife, Yuan Lijuan, were invited by the Global China Academy to conduct an investigation tour and academic exchanges in the UK from July 27 to August 24, 2024. The theme of the investigation tour is ‘Modernization of the UK and Its Global Development Experience.’ Their travel route included London-Oxford-Birmingham-Manchester-Glasgow-London-Cambridge, etc. At each location, volunteers arranged by the academy were present to receive or accompany them.
- We would like to thank the Zhejiang UK Association (ZJUKA) for providing contacts in Oxford, Birmingham, and Glasgow. ZJUKA was one of the supporters of the 2nd Global China Dialogue on ‘Transculturality and New Global Governance’ in 2015. About the ‘transculturality’, in the postscript of the Proceedings of the 1st Global China Dialogue: The Experience of China’s Modernization from a Comparative Perspective, I pointed out, ‘Another key outcome of this dialogue was the recognition of the similarities and differences between various types of dialogue. Cross-Cultural Dialogue refers to exchanges between people from different cultural backgrounds, aiming to understand and respect each other’s cultural differences; Intercultural Dialogue involves deep communication between different cultures to build bridges and reduce misunderstandings and conflicts; Transcultural Dialogue goes beyond the boundaries of a single culture, integrating elements from different cultures to create new cultural consensus. The Global China Dialogue platform will address the challenges of global governance through Transcultural Dialogue and explore the possibilities of mutual benefit, symbiosis, coexistence, and prosperity’ (Page 45, 2016).
- The book Walking for Peace: Transcultural Experiences from a Journey in China, edited by ZJUKA’s founding president Lady Xuelin Li Bates, has been published in both English and Chinese by our Global Century Press. This book is based on the blog posts of her husband, Lord Michael Bates, during his walk from Beijing to Hangzhou in 2015, marking the 70th anniversary of China’s victory in the Anti-Japanese War. The book is part of the ‘Three Eyes Transcultural Series,’ requiring authors to write with three perspectives: ethnic Chinese, culturally Chinese, or having some overseas living experience, and once own working experience. As a ‘son-in-law of China,’ some of Lord Bates’ content reflects this perspective. The book also presents a comparative viewpoint; while Lord Bates served as the UK’s Minister of State for International Development, he contemplated the shipbuilding industries of China, Korea, and the UK during his walk along the Grand Canal.
- The Birmingham visit of ZHAO Kejin and YUAN Lijuan was hosted and arranged by Wang Shubin, President of the UK Pathway Consultancy and Executive President of the Birmingham Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, along with his colleagues. The publication of this blog post on the Global China Academy’s website is also a token of appreciation for their assistance during Professor Zhao and Ms. Yuan’s visit to Birmingham.
[2] Editor’s Note:
- This blog, co-authored by ZHAO Kejin and YUAN Lijuan, vividly presents the 16-character methodology of renowned Chinese sociologist and anthropologist Fei Xiaotong: ‘Appreciate the beauty of oneself, appreciate the beauty of others, share the beauty with all, and achieve harmony in the world.’ For example, Mr Shubin Wang welcomed Professor Zhao and Ms. Yuan with Cantonese cuisine at Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant, ranked third among the best Chinese restaurants in appreciating Chinese food in the UK. Numerous photos of canals, buildings, daily life, plaques commemorating scientists, and museums exhibit ‘appreciating the beauty of others.’ The coexistence of traditional and modern, natural, cultural, industrial elements, and diverse food cultures demonstrates ‘sharing the beauty with all.’ In their reflections at the end of the blog, the authors mention that ‘finding commonality in differences means learning from others to accurately position oneself and giving due respect to the unknown world!’ This echoes the transculturality promoted by the Global China Academy and, in some sense, surpasses the concept of ‘achieving harmony in the world,’ resonating with Fei’s later advocacy of ‘harmony but not uniformity.’
- Global Century Press publishes a series of books on eight themes, including: Chinese Concepts, Chinese Discourse, Understanding China and the World, Comparative Perspectives on China and the Chinese, Globalization of Chinese Social Sciences, “Three Eyes” Transcultural, Research on China’s Urbanization, and Cutting-edge and Avant-garde Studies. Each series includes academic works, policy research, investigation reports, and popular humanities and social science books. The book Walking for Peace has the nature of an investigation report, featuring over 300 colour photos and numerous photo descriptions provided by authors with sociological training, reflecting methods of visual sociology and visual anthropology. The blog also has a certain global and comparative perspective and many photos. Global Century Press looks forward to adding a new book to the ‘Three Eyes Transcultural Series’ titled ‘Investigating Modernization and Global Development Experience of Modern Britain’ (tentative title), with this blog possibly being included.
Global China Academy’s Team building in July 2024
On April 17, Professor Xiangqun Chang visited GCA Fellows at the University Club at Oxford. The fellows are Professor David Parkin, Professor Robin Cohen, and Professor Maria Jaschok. In the morning, they conducted a broad range of discussions. During lunchtime, in addition to discussing work, Professor David Parkin suggested that we should also add a little living to our life. In the afternoon, Xiangqun and Maria discussed detailed work on the GCA Board of Trustees. It was a very productive day.
From left to right: Robin Cohen, David Parkin, Xiangqun Chang, and Maria Jaschok. The discussion meeting was similar to a brainstorming session. Based on incomplete audio records, the following topics were covered:
- Transculturality:
- Definition and examples of transcultural practices.
- The concept of transculturality as a tool for understanding global dynamics beyond globalization.
- Comparison between Chinese and Western approaches to transculturality.
2. Reciprocity and Social Exchange:
- Different types of reciprocity: generalized, balanced, and negative exchange.
- The role of reciprocity in social relationships and its implications in different cultural contexts.
3. Academic Contributions and Challenges:
- The need for a Chinese school of sociology and its contributions to global social science.
- The challenges faced by Chinese academics in the global academic landscape.
- Strategies for integrating Chinese perspectives into global academic discussions.
4. Social Practices and Their Cultural Significance:
- The influence of Chinese cultural practices on social relationships and community building.
- Examples of social practices in Chinese villages and their implications for social structure.
5. Historical and Comparative Studies:
- Comparative studies on modernization in different countries.
Historical encounters between Europe and China and their impact on cultural exchange. - The role of Chinese academics in documenting and analyzing these historical interactions.
6. Globalization and Modernization:
- The evolution of globalization and its various forms.
The concept of modernization in China and its comparison with Western perspectives. - The impact of globalization on local cultures and practices.
7. Role of Chinese Women and Feminism:
- The development of Chinese feminism and its integration into global feminist discourse.
- Historical perspectives on Chinese women’s roles and contributions.
8. Networking and Collaboration:
- The importance of collaborating with similar institutions to sustain the mission of the Global China Academy.
- Potential partnerships with organizations like the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
9. Impact and Sustainability of the Global China Academy:
- Strategies for ensuring the sustainability of the academy.
The role of publications and academic dialogues in promoting the academy’s mission. - The importance of engaging younger generations in the academy’s work.
10. Fieldwork and Ethnographic Studies:
- Personal anecdotes and experiences from fieldwork in China.
- The significance of understanding local contexts and social dynamics through ethnographic research.
11. Political and Cultural Mapping:
- The role of maps in representing cultural and political relationships.
- The influence of mapping practices on understanding global connections and power dynamics.
12. Challenges of Publishing Uncensored Chinese Work:
- The difficulties in publishing authentic, uncensored academic work on China.
- The role of the Global China Academy in providing a platform for such publications.
13. Global Governance for AI:
- This is the theme of the 9th Global China Dialogue, which will take place at Tongji University in China. It is the first time the event will be held in China, and it will alternate between the UK and China in the future.
- The preparations are ongoing.
On April 27, the GCA team met for a one-day occasion. In the morning, some of us played golf at Hill Hill Golf Club. During the lunch meeting, it was agreed that Mr. Kai Liang would join us as Event Officer of GCA and Ms YU Li as Project Manager. In the afternoon, the team went to Brocket Hall for a walk and had dinner at the Real China Restaurant at the Galleria Outlet Shopping Centre in Hatfield. Thus, the sixth ‘walk and talk’ route was developed.
Participants in the day’s activities in the top photo from left to right: Kai Liang (Event Officer), Katie Zheng (Administrative Manager), Alan Fang (Legal Adviser), Yu Li (Project Manager), David Liu (Logistics Manager), and Xiangqun Chang (President).
Global China Academy Fellows Newsletter (Jan-June 2024)
Dear GCA Fellows and Representatives of Institutional Fellows,
Following the comprehensive 2023 annual report or the Special Edition for the 10th Anniversary of the GCA (2013–2023), we are writing this first half-year newsletter of 2024 to keep you informed and engaged. Part One will highlight our achievements, and Part Two will outline how you can get involved.
To keep things short and to the point, we have opted for descriptions without photographs in this newsletter. If something is of particular interest, please follow the links to read more details on the GCA or GCP websites.
Part One Achievement highlights
- Global China Academy
1) Changes in Management Structure and Personnel:
- After celebrating the 10th anniversary of GCA since its founding under the name of CCPN Global, the unincorporated charity (UK Charity Commission Registration Number 1154640) has been formally closed. All the previous official records and reports can be seen on ‘Global China Academy Embarks on a New Chapter with CIO Status, Preserves History Online.’ This means that from now on, GCA will operate as a social enterprise (Charitable Incorporated Organization, CIO), UK Charity Commission registration number 1198983).
- GCA Board of Trustees: In light of the retirements of the chair earlier this year and the secretary in April 2024, after the charity year, the following individuals have been duly elected to these positions, respectively (Click here to see more details): Chair: Professor Maria Jaschok FGCA; Secretary: Mr. Mark Lee
- GCA Council: In order to work more effectively, the GCA Council has been divided into the GCA Council and the GCA Chinese Council. Dr QIAN Zhenhua resigned as co-chair and donated 100,000 RMB to the 9th Global China Dialogue: Global Governance for AI.
2) Policy Developments:
- Created GCA’s Fundraising and Donation Policy, ensuring ethical practices, transparency, and diverse funding sources in line with the Academy’s goals.
- Updated GCA’s Volunteer Policy, supporting volunteers, emphasizing their value to the organization, and aligning with reporting standards.
3) GCA Website Development: Added a search function under the banner on the Home page and another one on the top menu, which can be accessed on every page of the website for easy navigation and an improved user experience.
2. Global China Academy Fellowship
1) Fellows’ Activities, News, or Blog:
- In order to better engage GCA Fellows, it has been decided to send two GCA Newsletters each year starting from 2024.
- We also posted some of our Fellows’ activities on GCA website (in reverse order), e.g.:
- Global China Academy Board of Trustees Chair Participates in the 11th WWUPF in Zhengzhou, China, May 25-29
- The President of Global China Academy, Professor Xiangqun Chang, visited GCA Fellows at the University of Oxford in April (Click here to find related contents).
- Global China Academy Council Chair, Professor Tony McEnery’s Academic Activities in Hong Kong and China, from March to April
- We have issued invitations to some GCA Fellows and Fellow-related academics in China to visit the UK from July to August. They will stay in our Fellows’ Home during their time in London, such as:
- Professor ZHU Guanglei FGCA and his family. He is the former Vice-President of Nankai University, China, and a keynote speaker of the 5th Global China Dialogue.
- Professor ZHAO Kejin and his family. He is the Deputy Dean of the School of Social Sciences and the Director of Global Industry at Tsinghua University. He made closing remarks at the 6th and 7th Global China Dialogues in person and online respectively.
- Professor WANG Tianfu, Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, who will lead a delegation from four universities in China, including Tsinghua, Renmin, and Fudan.
2) Fellowship:
- HMRC listed GCA among its ‘approved learned societies and professional organisations’ to facilitate GCA Fellowship subscriptions.
- To maintain the highest standards of GCA Fellows, no more than eight fellowships will be awarded per annum, including Full Fellows, Associate Fellows, and Institutional Fellows. This policy will be reviewed accordingly (Click here to see Fellows awarded in 2023).
- Updated the process and timetable of Guidance for Nomination (see p. 5).
- Updated Fellowship Benefits and Obligations:
- Added benefit number 1 ‘Global promotion of the academic publications and activities of GCA Fellows’.
- Added a tailor-made package service for different types of GCA Fellows-related delegations (see a 7-day package as an example).
- Added the sixth ‘walk and talk’ route, including tea and lunch, at and around the GCA Fellows’ Home.
- The GCA Fellows award ceremony in 2024 will take place at the GCD9 at Tongji University. GCA will cover the cost for those who wish to receive their awards in Shanghai, China.
3. Global Century Press
1) Activities:
- Originally initiated for the Journal of Chinese for Social Science (JCSS), the 2nd China-Focus Research Forum was held both offline and online at the GCA Centre on June 8, 2024.
- GCP colleagues participated in numerous events at the London Book Fair (LBF) from March 12-14 and engaged with professionals and authors during the events (click here for more details).
2) Regulations and Policy:
- GCP became a member of The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP).
- Updated the Open Access Policy, clarifying different types of ‘processing charges,’ including those for journals and journal articles, books, and book chapters.
- Published a new edition of the Global Century Press House Style Guide, which includes revised descriptions of each journal and book series and our unique ‘Dual Language Information’ section.
3) Standardization Process:
- GCP began its process of standardisation across its publications.
- Some journals and books are now available on an open access basis on the GCP website, and DOIs have been submitted to Crossref, e.g., https://globalcenturypress.com/product-category/journals-periodicals/Journal-China-Global-Comparative-Perspectives.
- This process will continue through 2024.
4. The 9th Global China Dialogue
- The Ministry of Education of China has approved Tongji University’s application for GCA to be a co-organiser of the 9th Global China Dialogue (GCD9) at Tongji University, Shanghai, on November 29th, 2024.
- It has been agreed that the GCD series will be held on the last Friday in November each year, alternating between China and the UK.
Part Two GCD Fellows’ involvements
GCA Fellows constitute the driving force behind GCA, leveraging its publications and dialogue forums as two platforms for dual successes. We invite you to get involved with GCA in the following ways:
- Send us information about your academic activities for the News & Blog section of the GCA website.
- Nominate different types of GCA Fellows. See: Fellowship nominations and to learn more.
- Contribute to GCA publications in various forms. Learn more.
- Participate in or recommend speakers for the GCD9. Learn more.
- Make any suggestions: info@globalchinaacademy.org.
As we look forward to the second half of the year, we are excited about the numerous opportunities and collaborations that lie ahead. We encourage all GCA Fellows to remain actively involved, share your academic pursuits, and contribute to our endeavours. Your engagement and participation are crucial to our continued success and the advancement of our shared goals.
Thank you for your dedication and support. Together, we will continue to make significant strides in our academic and social missions.
Warm regards,
Professor Xiangqun Chang 常向群FRSA FGCA
President of Global China Academy
Honorary Professor of University College London (2015-20)
Distinguished Professor of Nankai University
Professor Peter Schröder FRFAB FGCA
Vice President for Fellowship, Global China Academy
Professor of the History of Political Thought at Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences, UCL
Global China Academy’s Activities in June 2024
We typically update the News and Blog section on a monthly basis. Due to the differing nature of activities and events, this page has categorized them into two types based on the missions of the Global China Academy. Within each category, the items are listed in reverse chronological order. However, our own events will always be placed at the top.
Academic mission
Following the 1st China-Focus Research Forum held on May 11th, 2023 (click here to find related news and photos), at SOAS, University of London, organized jointly by the student societies with support from the language teaching staff of SOAS, LSE, and King’s College London, the 2nd China-Focus Research Forum was held at the Global China Academy Centre both offline and online on June 8th, 2024.
Programme
Date and Time: 8th June 2024, 1-5 pm BST
Location: Global China Academy
Chair: Zhonghan Lin, PhD candidate in the School of Education, Communication & Society at King’s College London
1:00 – 1:10 pm Opening speech & warming up
1:10 – 1:35 pm
‘The Future of China’s Global Influence: A Theoretical Analysis of Peaceful and Conflictual Trajectories’
by Subham Kumar Kanu, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
1:35 – 2:00 pm
‘The Baby-Eating Barbarians: Imagining and Constructing Chinese Images of Europeans in Late Ming and Early Qing Period’
by CHAN Pui To, Jack, The University of Hong Kong
2:00 – 2:25 pm
‘Cultural Conflict, Agency, and Muslim Hui Women’s Trajectories in Chinese State-Run Education’
by Gao Beibei, King’s College London
2:25 – 2:35 pm Special addresses:
- Professor Xiangqun Chang, President of the Global China Academy (GCA)
- Associate Professor XU Haiyan, Nanchang University; Editor of Journal of Chinese for Social Sciences (JCSS)
2:35 – 3:00 pm Break
3:00 – 3:25 pm
‘Geopolitics of Technology and China’s Ascendancy in Militarizing AI and its Implication in the Indo-Pacific: A Comparative Study of India-China in the Field of Militarization of AI’
by Agniva Ray, Jadavpur University, India
3:30 – 3:55 pm
‘Navigating the Waves: China’s Lawfare in Maritime Domain’
by Vibha Ghaty Sreesh, Rashtriya Raksha University, India
3:55 – 4:20 pm Break
4:20 – 4:45 pm
‘China’s Approach to Dispute Resolution: Are the International Commercial Courts of China (CICC) Part of China’s ‘Grand Strategy’ to Challenge the Current Structure of International Arbitration Regulations and Institutions?’
by Maria Anna Sampson, King’s College London
4:45 – 5:00 pm Closing remarks
by Dr. Hongfen Zhou, Team Leader for East Asian and South Asian Languages at the Language Centre, King’s College London
Related photos
The offline venue was at the Global China Academy Centre. From left to right: Dr. Lianyi Song (SOAS), Dr. Jing Chu (KCL), Dr. Hongfeng Zhou (KCL), Zhonghan Lin (Chair, KCL), Associate Professor Xu Haiyan (Nanchang University, China), Dr. Lijing Shi (LSE), and Professor Xiangqun Chang.
Some presenters. From left to right: Subham Kumar Kanu, CHAN Jack Pui To, Gao Beibei, Agniva Ray, Vibha Ghaty Sreesh, Maria Anna Sampson, Chunjin Li.
Selected presentations. The significant features of this Forum are the global participation including three from India and broader themes compared to the 1st Forum, where the participants were primarily based in London and from SOAS.
Tea break: Participants enjoyed Zongzi dumplings as June 10th, 2024, closed to the Dragon Boat Festival.
The participants were primarily the Editorial Board members of JCSS. They discussed issues related to the journal.
After the forum, participants visited Brocket Hall and enjoyed a walk and dinner there.
Social mission
21st June, Professor Chang Xiangqun, President of the Global China Academy, and Ms YU Li, Project Manager, were invited to attend the 6th Anniversary Champagne Reception and the 20th Anniversary Charity Antique Auction of Mother’s Bridge of Love (MBL) hosted by the Chinese Collectors Club (UK). The event took place at the Whisky Club, 1A Bond Street. After a splendid pipa solo performance by the renowned artist CHENG Yu, the charity auction was hosted by Mr. Zhang Pu, Chairman of the Chinese Collectors Club (UK). All proceeds, amounting to £13,000, were donated to Mother’s Bridge of Love to express gratefulness to the MBL for funding the establishment of 28 children’s libraries in rural and urban areas of China and providing cultural consultations and support for families in 27 countries that have adopted Chinese orphans, helping Chinese orphans.
Auction Catalog.
Top left: Xiangqun Chang and Yu Li with Xinran (middle), the founder of MBL. She was one of the panelists at the 1st Global China Dialogue in 2014. Top right: Xiangqun Chang with Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans (1991), Mao: The Unknown Story (2005), and Empress Dowager Cixi (2013). Bottom left: Pu Zhang hosted the auction. Bottom right: Xiangqun Chang met Fellows of The Sociological Review, Dr. William Zhengdong Hu and his wife, who were volunteers there.
On 9th June, with the help of Mr. Kai Liang, Ambassador of Hampton Court Golf Club and Event Officer of GCA, we organized 9 pairs teams to participate in the Mill Hill Mixed Open. Some of them won 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th places, as well as the longest drive. After dinner and prize giving, a Champagne Reception was held at the GCA Centre. The successful event served multiple purposes: mixing Chinese and non-Chinese players, celebrating Tao Liu’s Albatross (three strokes under par on a single hole), and the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.
Mill Hill Mixed Open and its dinner and prize giving.
Left: Kai Liang hosted the Champagne Reception and Tao Liu opened a bottle of Champagne. Right: different varieties of Zongzi dumplings.
Everyone enjoyed the drinks, soft fruit and snacks.
Cheers to Tao Liu and to our gathering!
The event lasted until midnight. It was a wonderful celebration of camaraderie and cultural exchange. We look forward to more successful events in the future, bringing together diverse communities in celebration and fellowship.
Global China Academy Board of Trustees’s Chair Participates in the 11th WWUPF in Zhengzhou, China, May 25-29, 2024
Maria Jaschok 12 June 2024
On Attending
The 11th World Women University Presidents Forum (WWUPF) 2024,
held in Zhengzhou, Henan, May 25th–29th.
What better way for this new chair of the GCA Board of Trustees to introduce herself, albeit in a rather brief and generally worded presentation, than by means of an academic, which is also a most personal, gendered lens through which I tend to observe, filter, and interpret the complex and divergent realities around me. I have just returned from China where one of my tasks was participation in the 11th World Women University Presidents Forum (WWUPF). An initiative of the Communication University of China (CUC), the WWUPF was launched in August 2001. Its aim is ‘to pool the strength of women university presidents all over the world and to create an international platform for them to communicate and collaborate, and to share new ideas and thoughts in the fields of higher education development and women leadership promotion’ (Brochure, Communications University of China/Huanghe S&T University, 2024).
In addition to ten fora in China, eleven sub-fora have been held around the world. In just over ten years of internationally oriented female-gendered academic discourses, by now with a notable track-record of intellectual and transformative traction, the WWUPF has accumulated considerable credibility. The annual fora clearly benefit from cross/multi-disciplinary and intersectional expertise, and the quality of discourses around significant, topical core themes and critical policy fault lines relevant to gender and Higher Education have garnered close attention from international institutions, as evidenced by the annual participation of representatives from UN agencies and various multilateral organizations.
The 2024 Forum took place in Zhengzhou, Henan, and was dedicated to the theme of ‘Multicultural Backgrounds and Common Development. The Responsibility of Higher Education Leadership.’ Senior UN and UNCESCO leaders sent messages of support which were live-streamed as part of a festive and wide-ranging commencement ceremony which heralded a four-day event of keynote speeches, presentations, and discussions. Artistic performances, exhibitions, and visits to museums and historic sites in Henan rounded off informative cultural excursions, making evident once more the significance of the notion of 中原 zhongyuan culture in relation to the current Chinese government focus on national cultural confidence 文化自信 wenhua zixin.
I participated in a panel organized around issues of ‘Openness of Higher Education and Continuity of Civilization’ with a paper on “Studying Elsewhere – cultures of pedagogy, traditions of learning, and fault lines of communication.” The images accompanying this text may help convey the atmosphere of an event that brought together academic, administrative, and political leaders for serious purposes, including many outstanding women leaders of diverse higher education institutions from around the globe. However, most notable was the frequently reiterated pride expressed by Forum participants from such a diversity of national, ethnic, political, and academic backgrounds, a shared pride in having created a meaningful consensus on the importance of an initiative that continues to make a difference despite remarkable global and local challenges.
The transformative powers of female education and its relevance to furthering the SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 are near-universally shared principles, driving facilitation of enduring institutions for gender justice. Yet such principles are also heavily contested, in certain contexts negated as detrimental to societal development. The WWUPF provides ongoing campaigns for female education at the highest level with solid evidence of the positive impact of capable female leadership in senior positions as it continues to challenge the ongoing underrepresentation of authoritative female voices. The founding initiative for these timely fora, and now their increasingly impactful linkages with international academic institutions and networks, originated from Professor Liu Jinan, then the female president of CUC, making the global mission of the WWUPF all the more remarkable and poignant.
Lastly, but by no means least, for me the most profound and moving experience, both at a personal and autobiographical level, was my return, after an absence of five years, to a part of China with which I had been intensely involved for well over twenty years of research and fieldwork. It was gratifying to have the opportunity once again to listen, interact, learn, observe, and renew contact with old friends and colleagues, whose friendship, knowledge, and incredible generosity are inextricably linked with my understanding of Chinese society.
Photos sources: https://www.hhstu.edu.cn/info/1052/22194.htm, https://news.xmu.edu.cn/info/1003/471011.htm; text provided by the participant.
Global China Academy Activities in May 2024
At the GCA Board of Trustees meeting on February 23, 2024, an important agenda item for the Any Other Business (AOB) session was to schedule the Summer meeting for May 9. The session will welcome the new Chair, Professor Maria Jaschok, and bid farewell to the outgoing Chair and Secretary.
On May 9, all the Trustees participated in the hybrid meeting. From left to right: Xiangqun Chang, Mark Lee (who joined the meeting after being elected Trustee and Secretary), Grace Yuan Cheng (online), Thomas Clarke, Maria Jaschok and Charles Grant.
Top left and right: Professor Maria Jaschok, representing the Trustees, thanked the former Chair, Ingrid Cranfield, and presented her with an ‘Oscar’ as a token of their appreciation for her work with GCA and GCP. The former Secretary, Dr. Francis Wood, was unable to attend due to illness. Professor Xiangqun Chang received the ‘Oscar’ on her behalf and will present it to her in due course.
Bottom photos on the left and right: Professor Martin Albrow, the Founding and Honorary President of GCA, presented flowers to Professor Maria Jaschok, the new Chair of the Board of Trustees, and welcomed Mark Lee to support GCA. The photo in the middle signifies the GCA’s Board of Trustees continuing the past and forging ahead.
After the meeting, some participants of the GCA Board meeting decided to experience the newly developed GCA’s Route 6 of the Six ‘walk and talk’ routes, which included tea and lunch. The above photo shows them having lunch at the Real China Restaurant at the Galleria Outlet Shopping Centre in Hatfield.
Professor Martin Albrow, Professor Xiangqun Chang, and Mark Lee enjoyed their walk and talk at Brocket Hall very much after the lunch.
On the following day, Professor Xiangqun Chang visited Ingrid Cranfield’s home. She enjoyed Ingrid’s homemade cake, summer fruit, and relaxed conversation, especially the observations of her pet peahen and chicken. Although pigeons typically symbolize peace, the harmonious coexistence of these pets could also represent hope for humanity.
On the occasion of participating in a public lecture entitled ‘The Construction and Development of Digital Dunhuang’ on the 29th of May at SOAS, Professor Xiangqun Chang had a meeting with Dr Frances Wood. She greatly appreciated Dr Wood’s continued support for GCA and GCP with her academic and professional expertise in her personal capacity in the future. Professor Chang expressed gratitude for Dr Wood’s contributions to GCA and GCP in the past years and presented her with an ‘Oscar’ on behalf of the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Top left: Professor Xiangqun Chang with WU Jian, Professorial Research Fellow of the Dunhuang Institute, the speaker of ‘The Construction and Development of Digital Dunhuang.’ They discussed the possibilities of a collaborative publication project on the theme of transculturality based on a vast amount of digital materials.
Top right: Professor Wu Jian gave a public lecture. According to him, Dunhuang was an important cultural node on the ancient Silk Road in China, witnessing the exchange and integration of Eastern and Western cultures. After more than 30 years of exploration and research, Digital Dunhuang formed a complete technological process suitable for the digital collection, processing, and storage of immovable cultural relics, and methods for constructing Digital Dunhuang, showcasing massive digital achievements and application scenarios of Digital Dunhuang. This lecture focused on the artistic value inheritance of the Dunhuang Grottoes, aiming at the digital preservation of cultural heritage for its sustainable inheritance. It started from the significance of advanced digital technology empowering cultural heritage protection and inheritance and discussed the development, achievements, and innovations in the three important stages of digital protection of Dunhuang Grottoes.
Following the public lecture, there was the Digital Photography Exhibition ‘Dream Back to Dunhuang.’ The bottom photos show Dr. Frances Wood (left) and Mr. Qu Leilei (right), the UK-based artist, presenting certificates to the winners of the Digital Photography Exhibition.
Global China Academy’s Activities in April 2024
On April 17, Professor Xiangqun Chang visited GCA Fellows at the University Club at Oxford. The fellows are Professor David Parkin, Professor Robin Cohen, and Professor Maria Jaschok. In the morning, they conducted a broad range of discussions. During lunchtime, in addition to discussing work, Professor David Parkin suggested that we should also add a little living to our life. In the afternoon, Xiangqun and Maria discussed detailed work on the GCA Board of Trustees. It was a very productive day.
From left to right: Robin Cohen, David Parkin, Xiangqun Chang, and Maria Jaschok. The discussion meeting was similar to a brainstorming session. Based on incomplete audio records, the following topics were covered:
- Transculturality:
- Definition and examples of transcultural practices.
- The concept of transculturality as a tool for understanding global dynamics beyond globalization.
- Comparison between Chinese and Western approaches to transculturality.
2. Reciprocity and Social Exchange:
- Different types of reciprocity: generalized, balanced, and negative exchange.
- The role of reciprocity in social relationships and its implications in different cultural contexts.
3. Academic Contributions and Challenges:
- The need for a Chinese school of sociology and its contributions to global social science.
- The challenges faced by Chinese academics in the global academic landscape.
- Strategies for integrating Chinese perspectives into global academic discussions.
4. Social Practices and Their Cultural Significance:
- The influence of Chinese cultural practices on social relationships and community building.
- Examples of social practices in Chinese villages and their implications for social structure.
5. Historical and Comparative Studies:
- Comparative studies on modernization in different countries.
Historical encounters between Europe and China and their impact on cultural exchange. - The role of Chinese academics in documenting and analyzing these historical interactions.
6. Globalization and Modernization:
- The evolution of globalization and its various forms.
The concept of modernization in China and its comparison with Western perspectives. - The impact of globalization on local cultures and practices.
7. Role of Chinese Women and Feminism:
- The development of Chinese feminism and its integration into global feminist discourse.
- Historical perspectives on Chinese women’s roles and contributions.
8. Networking and Collaboration:
- The importance of collaborating with similar institutions to sustain the mission of the Global China Academy.
- Potential partnerships with organizations like the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
9. Impact and Sustainability of the Global China Academy:
- Strategies for ensuring the sustainability of the academy.
The role of publications and academic dialogues in promoting the academy’s mission. - The importance of engaging younger generations in the academy’s work.
10. Fieldwork and Ethnographic Studies:
- Personal anecdotes and experiences from fieldwork in China.
- The significance of understanding local contexts and social dynamics through ethnographic research.
11. Political and Cultural Mapping:
- The role of maps in representing cultural and political relationships.
- The influence of mapping practices on understanding global connections and power dynamics.
12. Challenges of Publishing Uncensored Chinese Work:
- The difficulties in publishing authentic, uncensored academic work on China.
- The role of the Global China Academy in providing a platform for such publications.
13. Global Governance for AI:
- This is the theme of the 9th Global China Dialogue, which will take place at Tongji University in China. It is the first time the event will be held in China, and it will alternate between the UK and China in the future.
- The preparations are ongoing.
On April 27, the GCA team met for a one-day occasion. In the morning, some of us played golf at Hill Hill Golf Club. During the lunch meeting, it was agreed that Mr. Kai Liang would join us as Event Officer of GCA and Ms YU Li as Project Manager. In the afternoon, the team went to Brocket Hall for a walk and had dinner at the Real China Restaurant at the Galleria Outlet Shopping Centre in Hatfield. Thus, the sixth ‘walk and talk’ route was developed.
Participants in the day’s activities in the top photo from left to right: Kai Liang (Event Officer), Katie Zheng (Administrative Manager), Alan Fang (Legal Adviser), Yu Li (Project Manager), David Liu (Logistics Manager), and Xiangqun Chang (President).
