Event Date:
Sat, 2005-07-30
18th ACPS Annual Meeting Report
The ACPS successfully concluded its 18th annual meeting on China’s transition and ascension at San Francisco State University from July 30-31, 2005. The conference was hosted and co-sponsored by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at San Francisco State University. The Department of Political Science of SFSU and the International Graduate Programs of Old Dominion University also co-sponsored this conference. The conference received a wide-range coverage by the local Chinese media organizations, such as Sing Tao, World Journal, Ming Pao, and local TV Channel 26. “CrossChina” night talk show host on the Channel 26, Jay Stone Shih, provided an expert forum in three consecutive nights for our association on the topics “Renewed Tension between China and Japan,” “Domestic and Foreign Aspects of China’s Peaceful Rise,” and “The Beijing-Taipei-Washington Triangle.” The following members were invited to participate in the forum: Professors Lowell Dittmer, Greg Moore, Jing Zhao, Sujian Guo, Guoli Liu, Qingsi Li, Ye Zicheng, and Wei-chin Lee.
The central theme of the conference is on Chinas reform, development, transition, ascension, and global impact. China’s reform, open-up, and development over the last two decades have made enormous impact on the political, economic and cultural lives of the Chinese people as well as on the rest of the world. China’s transition and rise have become the two major themes in the field of China studies across all academic disciplines. The conference brought together about 60 scholars and experts from the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Australia, and also attracted some of the nation’s foremost China scholars, such as Lynn White III of Princeton, Lowell Dittmer of UC Berkeley, and Brantly Womack of University of Virginia, Robert Gamer of University of Missouri. Deans and associate deans of School of International Studies of Renmin University of China also attended the conference. At the conference, our association members and distinguished scholars from different areas came together to exchange their research and findings on the topics related to the broad theme of the conference. There were 13 panels and 2 roundtables and 2 featured panels presented. Participants explored a wide variety of topics related to the central theme.
At the conference, Professor Joel Kassiola, Dean of BSS College of SFSU, delivered a warm welcome speech that addressed the issue of China’s environmental and sustainable development in the process of modernization. Professor Lynn White III of Princeton University delivered his keynote speech on the conference’s central theme and synthesized major aspects of China’s reform, opening-up, development, consequences, problems, and challenges. His keynote speech can be found on the 2005 conference website. Professor Shiping Hua (President of ACPS) and Professor Li Jingzi (Dean of School of International Studies at Renmin University of China) signed a general agreement on the co-sponsored international symposium that should be held at Renmin University of China every two years.
At the business meeting of the ACPS during the conference, a best paper selection committee was formed to offer the Best Paper Award to papers presented at the ACPS annual meeting. The committee was elected and consisted by Professors Baogang Guo, Greg Moore, and Srini Sitaraman, and chaired by Baogang Guo. Membership fees were raised to $40 (professional) and $25 (students), which were proposed and approved by vote of the members present at the meeting. The Board of Directors decided to hold its 19th annual meeting in April 1-2, 2006 at the University of Louisville and co-sponsor another international symposium with China People’s University in June 2006. The ACPS members would like to thank the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences of SFSU, which has generously supported and hosted the 2005 ACPS Annual Meeting on its campus.
(by Sujian Guo)