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During her visit to China in April 2023, Professor Xiangqun Chang, President of the Global China Academy (GCA), participated in various social mission activities, encompassing a range of meetings, visits to sponsors, and personal explorations. These activities reflect the organization’s and her own commitment and efforts to promote global understanding and cooperation.
On the morning of April 21st, a meeting took place at the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) within the China International Publishing Group (CIPG). Dr YU Yunquan (3rd from the right in the top photo), Director of ACCWS, chaired the session. Dr YU Hongjun (3rd from the left in the top photo), former Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and Director of the Centre for Contemporary World Studies, was present as well. He had previously delivered a greeting message at the 6th Global China Dialogue on Governance for World Peace. Professor XU Baofeng from BLCU (1st from the right in the top photo), Director of the Belt and Road Research Institute, Director of the World Sinology Centre, and DU Yichao, Director of Wuxi Institute of New Culture, PhD student at UCL, and GCA Associate (2nd from the right in the top photo), also participated in the meeting. The purpose of this gathering was to advance the GCA’s social mission, specifically in preparation for the 8th Global China Dialogue on Governance for Global Health (GCD III).
During the meeting, Dr YU Hongjun highlighted the shared challenges faced by China and the rest of the world, including climate change, energy security, global health governance, and global economic stability, emphasizing the need for dialogue and collaborative efforts to address these issues. Dr YU Yunquan underscored ACCWS’s objective of fostering understanding and research on China’s global role, committing to the development of a multidisciplinary research platform aimed at expanding global knowledge of China through publishing, seminars, and international collaborations. Professor Xu Baofeng discussed the establishment of the World Sinology Centre and the organization of international conferences in China. Professor Chang Xiangqun shared insights from her observations and experiences in China, focusing on China’s engagement in global governance, its proactive involvement in the United Nations, and other multilateral institutions. She discussed the importance of dialogue in enhancing China’s comprehension of its global responsibilities. The meeting concluded with the decision that the Journal of Contemporary China and World Studies would sponsor GCD III, contingent upon receiving a report on Governance for Global Health, and the Deputy Director of ACCWS would deliver the closing remarks at the final session.
On the afternoon of April 21st, accompanied by DU Yichao, visits were made to two sponsors of the Global China Dialogues series. The first visit was to Xueshuzhi (学术志 Academic Unwavering), a brand under Scholar Education Ltd., an academic dissemination and education platform established by doctoral graduates from prestigious universities. Gathering over 2 million highly educated individuals, primarily university faculty, doctors, and masters, Xueshuzhi has been dedicated to supporting the research community’s growth. It aims to promote the dissemination and development of academic knowledge, enhance domestic researchers’ levels, and advance social sciences in China. During this visit, Dr SONG Yiping (right in the top photos), a founder of the company, recalled his initial encounter with Professor Chang approximately ten years ago, at which time he was employed as an editor at Renmin University Press. He conveyed his continued support for the Global China Dialogues.
Following this, a visit was made to Xueshuwan (学术湾 Academic Harbour), a brand of M.Y.Union, a high-tech enterprise established in 2012 specializing in software development that integrates teaching, practice, and research. Focused on developing new technologies for the social service sector, Xueshuwan offers comprehensive IT solutions to educational, government, and social service organizations. With a commitment to rigorous and practical approaches, the company has achieved rapid and sustainable growth, supported by a team of skilled developers and expert advisors in sociology and social work. Its products, tailored for the modern technological landscape, are applied across various sectors, including universities and government agencies. The General Manager, Mr JIANG Biao (right in the bottom photos), who first met Professor Chang during her lecture at Changchun University of Science and Technology in 2019, provided a tour of the company and showcased projects developed during the COVID years.
Xueshuwan, Xueshuzhi, and the Wuxi Institute of New Culture, sponsors of the 6th, 7th, and forthcoming 8th Global China Dialogues, offer free services for live streaming or recorded broadcasting of the dialogues through their platforms in China. They also provide audio and video recordings for archives, transcriptions, translations, and dual-language subtitles for videos shown during the dialogues. Their willingness to sponsor the GCD series with their resources and expertise was expressed at the GCA’s founding ceremony. Click their names to watch the greeting videos by JIANG Biao, SONG Yiping and DU Yichao.
During the trip to Shenyang, where her mother resides, Professor Chang also visited places of interest, a consistent component of her fieldwork in China. Through a golf acquaintance, she was introduced to DAI Yanyan (to her left in the top left photo), Deputy Director of the Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre at Shenyang Jianzhu University, and ZHANG Changyan (to her right in the top left photo), a chief lawyer. With their assistance, on the morning of April 27th, Yanyan and Professor Chang visited Shenyang Century Golf Club. This club features an 18-hole, 72-par course that spans 700,000 square meters and was inaugurated in 2006. Its design incorporates both Western and Asian elements, emphasizing environmental conservation with its abundant tree coverage and high-quality grass landscapes. The clubhouse is equipped with luxurious amenities and panoramic views, providing a diverse array of leisure and business facilities, such as restaurants, bars, a fitness centre, among others. Situated in the development zone of Tiexi District, close to the airport and highways, the club offers convenient access. It integrates sports, leisure, and business, delivering a premium experience for its members. The club’s viability is attributed to the Tiexi District hosting over 1,300 enterprises from 40 countries and regions, including 83 multinational corporations and 21 Fortune Global 500 companies.
Moreover, Shenyang is recognized as the cradle of golf in China. The statue shown in the bottom left photo is of Chang Hsueh-liang or Zhang Xueliang (张学良, 1901-2001), a warlord who ruled Manchuria from 1928 to 1936. Zhang, who was introduced to golf in Shenyang in 1917 after joining the Fengtian Christian Youth Association, founded China’s first golf team in 1920 with officials from China, Britain, France, America, and other countries. Initially planning to construct the first 18+1 hole golf course in Beidaihe in 1927, he instead established a nine-hole ‘mini-golf’ course, which was launched at the Shenyang Tongze Club in 1930.
On the afternoon of April 27th, Yanyan escorted Professor Chang to the Shenyang Aoyuehui City Golf Club, an indoor golf multifunctional centre. The owner, Mr. ZHAO Haixin, revealed that the facility occupies 1,200 square meters and features 6 public hitting bays, 3 VIP rooms, each equipped with a Greenjoy Hengtaixin golf simulator. Beyond these, the club boasts a water bar, rest area, and additional public entertainment facilities. It serves freshly ground imported coffee, fashionable beverages, imported red wine and beer, teas from various regions, and premium Chinese and Western snacks. According to Mr Zhao, these offerings have ensured him a stable income even through the COVID years, affording him a lifestyle comparable to the upper-middle class in Western nations.
On the afternoon of April 30th, Professor Chang visited the Mission Hills Golf Club (观澜湖高尔夫球会), which is affectionately deemed the ‘home golf club’ of her friend Wang Jie due to its closeness to Wang’s residence. The disparity in the club’s Chinese and English names stems from ‘Guanlan’ (观澜), denoting a town surrounded by hills but without a lake (湖). Established in 1992 and inspired by its mission (使命) amid the hills (群山), the club has constructed numerous artificial lakes over an expansive area of 20 square kilometres across Shenzhen and Dongguan. Designed by twelve globally renowned golf figures, it comprises 12 courses, each with 18 holes (a total of 216 holes), distinctively integrating golf course styles from all five continents. This characteristic granted it the Guinness World Record for the ‘World’s Largest Golf Club’ in 2004. However, during the COVID years, the club experienced a downturn in business relative to the indoor golf multifunction centre in Shenyang, leading to job losses for numerous caddies.
Back in the UK, the ‘home golf club’ for Professor Chang is the Mill Hill Golf Club, situated just a two-minute walk from her residence. Construction began in 1924, and the club opened in 1927. Occupying less than one square kilometre of woodland within Moat Mount Open Space and Scratchwood, it is part of section 16 of the London LOOP (The London Outer Orbital Path). This path nearly encircles Greater London, covering almost 150 miles (approximately 388.5 square kilometres) and divided into 24 sections. Moat Mount Open Space is home to the man-made Leg of Mutton Pond, and near Scratchwood within the golf course is Stoney Wood Lake, fed by Deans Brook, which flows through the northern edges of Edgware, merges with the Silk Stream, continues into the Brent River, and finally joins the Thames River in West London.
The Global China Academy pursues dual missions. Its academic mission focuses on deepening the global understanding of China and Chinese people through global and comparative perspectives, worldwide fellowships, and rigorous research. Supported by its subsidiary, Global Century Press, which publishes esteemed scholarly works, the academy aims to enhance global cooperation and understanding, preparing young leaders for societal contributions. The Global China Dialogues platform facilitates significant exchanges to cultivate a more inclusive global community, transforming research into tangible societal benefits. Nestled at the foot of Mill Hill, amid woodlands and a nearby lake, the Global China Academy is likened to a quaint ‘academic temple’, endearingly referred to as ‘Mission Hill Temple’.
During her visit to China in April 2023, Professor Xiangqun Chang’s interactions with key institutions and individuals highlighted the Global China Academy’s commitment to fostering global understanding and cooperation. Her fruitful meeting with the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) and her engagements with two key sponsors of the Global China Dialogues series—Xueshuzhi and Xueshuwan—underscored the collaboration with organizations dedicated to academic knowledge dissemination and providing technological solutions for social services, laying the groundwork for the 8th Global China Dialogue. Moreover, Professor Chang’s comparative perspective on golf clubs in China and the UK emphasized the sport’s global nature, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. By aligning the cooperative spirit of golf with her academic and social missions, she showcased the potential convergence of personal interests and professional goals, promoting a more inclusive and interconnected world.
- Click here to view Global China Academy’s President Professor Xiangqun Chang’s Academic Activities in Beijing, 18-20 April 2023
- Click here to view Global China Academy’s President Professor Xiangqun Chang’s Academic Activities in Xiamen, Wuhan and Tianjin, 4-11 April 2023
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