Conference debates what has driven China’s growth and development
Leading scholars debated what has been driving rapid economic and social transformation in China during an international conference taking place at Victoria University.
"Most would agree that 30 years ago China had no clear vision, model or direction for its economic development," says Professor Xiaoming Huang, Director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria, which is hosting the conference.
"The questions being asked now are whether China‘s experience follows a particular model or is unique, whether it is rooted in the country's historical and cultural traditions, an improvement on other modern experiences, or a compromise that is neither bad nor good from a particular ideological perspective."
He says a range of papers being presented at the conference will reflect the different schools of thought internationally about what is driving China's growth.
The School of Government at Peking University is also co-hosting the Wellington Conference on Contemporary China 2012, which will take place on 13 and 14 August.
Deputy Prime Minister Bill English will be a keynote speaker along with top China scholars from universities in China, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and others.
Professor Huang says presentations at the conference will provide fundamental knowledge that can help New Zealand agencies and businesses better engage with China.
"The sale of the Crafar farms to Chinese buyers, for example, has had a lot of publicity but there has been much less debate about the bigger questions around why Chinese capital is going global and the pros and cons of that for countries such as New Zealand.
"Understanding more about how China works will also help New Zealand companies succeed in China. It's not just about exporting goods or services there. In the long term, you have to develop forms of business and business strategies that work effectively with the economic structure and conditions in China. That is part of the challenge of positive engagement with the global economy."
The Wellington Conference on Contemporary China is being held for the fourth time and Professor Huang says the event, along with other projects and activities organised by the research centre, has delivered benefits.
"We have seen a growing number of scholars, courses and activities around studies in contemporary China at New Zealand universities. There is also more public policy thinking and debate on New Zealand's relationship with China."
The New Zealand Inc China Strategy was launched earlier this year, and the New Zealand China Council is being formed to co-ordinate public and private sector effort to ensure New Zealand‘s relationship with China reaches its full potential.
"What we do through conferences, symposia and research projects also shows the role universities can play in connecting research and thinking on economic and social issues with the wider community to build trade and investment, and contribute to the social and economic development of New Zealand," says Professor Huang.
More than 100 delegates are expected at the conference.
The New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre is also co-organising a high-level symposium, to be held at Parliament in September, to mark the 40th anniversary of New Zealand and China establishing diplomatic relations.