Photo courtesy of Beijing Foreign Studies University

On January 16,MK sport 2025, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) successfully hosted the New Year Forum under the theme “Asia: A Shared Home of Harmony and Coexistence.” The event was co-hosted by the Country and Area Studies Academy (CASA) and the School of Asian Studies of BFSU, with the Cross-disciplinary and Innovative Platform of the Joint Research Institutes of International Organizations, Countries and Region Studies, International Communication (supported by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China) and Research Base on the Community of the Chinese Nation at the National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China as the organizers.

The forum brought together scholars from China and abroad who were engaged in Asian studies. Nearly 80 renowned scholars and experts from prestigious institutions participated, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), Xiamen University, Shandong University, the University of International Business and Economics, China Foreign Affairs University, Yunnan University, Xizang University, the University of Cambridge (UK), the National University of Singapore, Yonsei University (South Korea), Korea University, the Mongolia-China Friendship Association, the University of Dhaka (Bangladesh), the Royal University of Phnom Penh (Cambodia), the National Institute of Development Administration (Thailand), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Kazakhstan), and the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute. The participants focused on the development of area and country-specific disciplines, academic research, and the current situation of neighboring regions, while also discussing the future of Asia.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Liu Tiewa, Dean of CASA. Speeches were delivered by Liu Xinlu, Vice President of BFSU; Jia Peng, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education’s Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges; and Zhai Kun, Deputy Dean of the Institute of Area Studies at Peking University; among others. Mr. Liu Xinlu welcomed and thanked the attendees, emphasizing that the forum provides a platform with diverse Asian perspectives to foster closer collaboration between BFSU, domestic and international institutions, and scholars from neighboring countries. Mr. Jia Peng pointed out that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the promotion of the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s interests with Asian countries have become more closely integrated, and friendly mutual trust has deepened. He emphasized that the empowerment of practice is the key to the high-quality development of area and country studies. It is essential to promote talent cultivation, empower think tank development, and enhance policy advisory services through practical engagement. He sincerely hopes that BFSU will better utilize the Cross-disciplinary and Innovative Platform of the Joint Research Institutes of “International Organizations, Countries and Region Studies, International Communication,” strengthen its role in the Consortium of Country and Area Studies, and foster influential research institutions and academic achievements. Mr. Zhai Kun from Peking University stressed the growing importance of neighboring region research, aligning with the goals of area and country studies. Professor Cui Hongjian, director of the Cross-disciplinary and Innovative Platform of the Joint Research Institutes of “International Organizations, Countries and Region Studies, International Communication,” in his speech, introduced the original purposes of organizing this event. He expressed the hope that through continuous and close dialogue and exchanges while promoting the formation of China’s “grand neighborhood” concept, the event would highlight the significant value of area and country studies in achieving interdisciplinary integration and innovation.

The Asia-Pacific region is where China survives and thrives and is the foundation of its development and prosperity. China and its neighboring countries enjoy geographical proximity, cultural affinity, and integrated interests with a shared future. In the context of unprecedented global changes, the situation in the neighboring regions is undergoing profound shifts, with all countries facing both opportunities and challenges in promoting prosperity, maintaining peace, and fostering understanding. The forum was divided into three parts: “Discussion on the Neighboring Circumstances and International Relations,” “Discussion on the Construction of Disciplines and Applied Research Related to Neighboring Regions and Countries,” and “International Dialogue on A Shared Home of Harmony and Coexistence.” 

During the first part, scholars not only focused on significant changes such as the interlinkages between global and neighboring regional situations and the overall assessment of the neighborhood diplomatic and security environment, but also delved into pressing issues including the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the protection of overseas interests in neighboring regions, international politics and security trends in Northeast Asia and South Asia, and domestic political changes in specific countries. They proposed forward-looking solutions for building an Asian home based on cultural foundations, strengthening political trust, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges between China and its neighboring countries. The participants unanimously agreed that the neighboring regions remain the primary focus of China’s foreign policy. In the face of unprecedented global changes, China is working together with neighboring countries to build a shared home of harmony and coexistence. They emphasized the need to uphold the concept of a neighborhood community with a shared future by promoting economic cooperation, political trust, and cultural exchanges, while continuously solidifying the practical foundation for harmonious coexistence.

The second part of the forum focused on the discipline construction and applied research. Representatives from universities with a strong emphasis on area studies engaged in in-depth exchanges of views and experience sharing on issues such as the historical legacy of area studies, discipline construction, talent cultivation, and applied research. It was widely agreed that achieving interdisciplinary innovation through the integration of country and area studies with international organizations and international communication is an essential path for the development of the discipline.

The third part of the forum was an international dialogue involving scholars from neighboring countries. Scholars from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, South Korea, Mongolia, Singapore, Thailand, and other countries, along with Chinese scholars, participated in discussions on three key topics: “Economic Integration and Asia-Pacific Prosperity,” “Political Mutual Trust and Common Security,” and “Civilization Revival and People-to-People Exchanges.” They delved into issues such as regional economic cooperation, the role of the Global South, ASEAN economic cooperation, shared security and mutual trust, along with China’s bilateral relations and cultural exchanges with neighboring countries. All parties agreed that, despite the ever-changing global situation, Asian countries should rely on strong economic interdependence and based on diversified political realities, adhere to a dialogue and cooperation-oriented approach. Their common goal should be to build a harmonious and coexistent home together.

During the closing session, Dean Su Yingying of the School of Asian Studies at BFSU, on behalf of the organizers, summarized the entire event. The participants agreed that continued prosperity, shared security, and ongoing progress remain the key directions and themes for the development of Asia today. The vitality of Asia in various fields and its increasingly important role in the global landscape are becoming widely recognized, forming a broad consensus among all parties. Against this backdrop, scholars from various countries have come together to discuss how to co-build a high-quality, harmonious, and coexistent Asian community, especially in the face of numerous uncertainties brought about by profound changes in both global and regional situations, and the shared need to address various problems, contradictions, and conflicts. This discussion is particularly significant in the current context. At the same time, the steady and long-term development of area studies and academic research with Asian perspectives requires further strengthening of dialogue and exchanges across disciplines, fields, and countries. This will help build consensus, foster like-minded international academic communities, and provide the necessary knowledge systems, cultural connotations, and intellectual support for the creation of a harmonious and coexistent Asian community.

This forum provided a platform for extensive and in-depth exchanges on Asian and neighboring regional studies and the development of area studies, and also offered a new starting point for sustainable and deepened cooperation in the future.