To celebrate the centenary of the Nankai University’s history discipline and keep alive its spirit, the 13th China Youth Forum for Latin American Studies and the Academic Symposium on “History and Reality of Latin America’s International Relations” were held at the Faculty of History of Nankai University from September 15 to 17. The forum was co-sponsored by the Latin American History Research Association of China, the Chinese Association for Latin American Studies and the Faculty of History of Nankai University, and organized by the Center for Latin American Studies of Nankai University. This academic forum was attended by over 60 well-known scholars and young talents from 18 universities including Peking University, Renmin University of China, Nankai University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Sun Yat-sen University, Fujian Normal University, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Capital Normal University, Hubei University, and Anhui University, and research institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
Chai Yu delivered a speech on behalf of the Chinese Association for Latin American Studies, sharing her thoughts on young scholars conducting Latin American studies. First, the new era calls for a new page in Latin American studies. Second, under the new circumstances, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of Latin America and keep exploring the direction of studies on regions and nations. Third, young people who are full of vitality must have the courage to take on the important task of developing Latin American studies, and embark on a new journey with a view of the overall picture, role and history.
Professor Dong Guohui delivered a speech on behalf of the China Latin American History Association. He reviewed the brief history of China Youth Forum for Latin American Studies since its establishment in 2000, emphasizing that the Forum has become a key academic platform for the growth of Latin American researchers in China. He hoped that more young people would be engaged in the learning of and research on Latin American history and realistic issues.
This forum was divided into two parts: plenary talks and sub-forum discussions. Professor Dong Guohui presided over the plenary talk session. Professor Han Qi, Deputy Director of the Research Center for the History of Modern World of Nankai University; Yang Shouguo, Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations; and Professor Zuo Xiying, Deputy Dean of Xinmin College of Renmin University of China, have plenary talks entitled “The Origin of Maya civilization, State and Land System”, “Five Hot Issues in the Research on Current Latin American Situation” and “Sino-U.S. Strategic Competition in the ‘Decisive Decade’” respectively. Professor Han Qi introduced three views on the origin of the Maya civilization in the academic circles at home and abroad. On this basis, he shared his new views on the origin of the Maya civilization, the form of states and the land system, and encouraged young people to devote themselves to the study of fundamental issues of Latin American history. Yang Shouguo made an in-depth analysis on five hot issues relating to Latin America, including reshaping of political ecology, dilemmas in economic and social development, new security issues, U.S.-Latin America relations, and China-Latin America relations. Zuo Xiying analyzed the Sino-U.S. strategic competition in the “decisive decade” in terms of the United States’ perception of China and the world, the reasons behind changes in Sino-U.S. relations, and how the United States contained and suppressed China.
This year’s Forum has four sub-forums themed research on the history of U.S.-Latin America relations, the history and reality of China-Latin America relations, other issues in the history of Latin America’s international relations, and the research on Latin American history and realistic issues. The first sub-forum was chaired by Professor Li Ziying, Deputy Dean of the School of Spanish and Portuguese Languages of Beijing Foreign Studies University, with comments from Yan Jin, Deputy Director of the South-South Cooperation Research Center of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations. Centering on the U.S.’s external strategy, U.S. policy towards Latin America, labor rules, and other issues, the participants conducted animated discussions on the history and reality of U.S.-Latin America relations from the U.S.-Latin American perspective. The second sub-forum was chaired by Wang Cuiwen, Vice Chairman of the China Latin American History Association and an associate professor at Zhou Enlai School of Government of Nankai University, with comments from Zheng Meng, an associate researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Centering on the topics of China’s interaction with Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, Cuba and other countries, the participants discussed the economic, political and cultural fields, as well as the mutual understanding between China and Latin America. The third sub-forum was jointly chaired by Du Juan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Latin American History Association and associate researcher at the Institute of World History (IWH) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Fang Xufei, an associate researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, with comments from Sun Hongbo, associate researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The discussions covered the history of migration, economic history, revolutionary history, and bilateral and multilateral relations. Participants made both historical analysis and theoretical discussions, with a focus on Japan-Latin America relations. The fourth sub-forum was chaired by Pan Fang, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Latin American History Association and an associate professor at the Faculty of History of Nankai University, with comments from Tan Daoming, an associate researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Participants discussed issues such as church-state relations, indigenous peoples, medical and health history, and environmental history in large Latin American countries such as Argentina, Peru and Mexico, as well as small Latin American countries such as Dominica. The forum was also attended by scholars from other disciplines such as political science, international relations science, and sociology, demonstrating its characteristics of a high-level forum, interdisciplinary exchanges and the combination of theory and historical facts.
The closing ceremony of this forum was held at Tiantingge Room at the Faculty of History on the morning of September 17, when sub-forum discussions were concluded. Professor Dong Guohui presided over the closing ceremony. The commentators of each sub-forum summarized and reported on the comments and discussions. After the group reports, Secretary-General Wang Wenxian made an overall summary, saying that the reports featured diverse themes, multiple perspectives and active thinking, and expressed a beautiful vision for the future studies of Latin America.
The forum came to a successful conclusion.
