Peking University, Beijing, Sept. 15, 2010: From September 11 to 12, the First Asian Seminar in Regional Science was held in School of Government, Peking University. Nearly 100 experts and scholars on regional science from universities and searching institutes in Japan and China attended the seminar, where relevant issues on regions and cities in Asia were covered and academic discussions about population, environment, and low-carbon economy carried out.

On the morning of September 11, Prof. Shi Yujun of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as a Chinese representative, and Prof. Yoshitsugu Kanemoto, Tokyo University, as a Japanese representative, made the opening statements respectively. They reviewed the process of cooperation in the study of regional science in Asia, and wished a further development. Besides, they agreed that not only is it necessary to study regional sustainable development from aspects of ecology, geography, and nature and to reconsider the process of urbanization, but also is it required to pay more attention to the public policy, construction of system, and regional governance to seek new ways and modes that are “low-carbon, ecological, green, economical”  for the future.

Then the seminar was divided into two sets for deeper communication. 39 experts gave various academic reports on new economic geography, space economic geography, dynamic simulation, policy, management, environment, industry, and inhabitation, after which heated discussion went on and constructive opinions were sparked.

At the closing ceremony, Prof. Fujita Masahisa of Konan University, president emeritus of the seminar, and PKU Prof. Yang Kaizhong gave speeches. Prof. Fujita expressed the wish for further cooperation on regional science between China and Japan. Prof. Yang analyzed the dynamic mechanism of urban development in China, and stressed the necessity of the study and prosperity of new economic geography.

The seminar was co-hosted by the Regional Science Association of China and Applied Regional Science Association of Japan and co-organized by Department of Urban and Regional Management of PKU School of Government and China Center for Urban and Regional Development Research of PKU, under the support of the website of RSAC www.rsac.org.cn and of National Economic Geography www.negchina.com.

Translated by: ZHAO Ning
Edited by: Jacques
Source: PKU News (Chinese)