Conferences —— The Chinese Economist Society

Since its establishment in 2004, the Consortium for Western China Development Studies（CWCDS for short） has organized nine conferences on various issues concerning the development of western China. The initial conference was held in Chengdu in 2004 with the theme of “Towards a New Paradigm for Developing Western China: Meeting the Challenges of Sustainable Development and Globalization.” The eight follow-up conferences continued to focus on the different issues of the western China development, including “sustainable and rural development” (Yinchuan 2005), “regional development and poverty alleviation” (Chengdu 2006), “the construction of harmonious society in poverty-stricken areas” (Guiyang 2007), “the assessment of development processes in western China” (Xi’an 2008), “retrospect and future prospects of western China development” (Lanzhou 2009), “ten years of western China development" (Chengdu 2010) , “vulnerability and sustainability of western China development” (Chengdu 2013) , and “eco-civilization and urban new districts construction in western China development” (Guiyang,2014). The conferences have gained great support from the Office of Western China Development, State Council, and Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs of Columbia University, a Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has been a frequent participant of the conferences.

Since the launch of the Western China Development Strategy, with the acceleration of the pace of industrialization, urbanization in western China has experienced rapid development from a low starting point. By the end of 2012, the urbanization rate in western China was 44.9%, an increase of 16% compared to that of 2000, with an annual growth rate of 1.33% and the formation of three urban agglomerations of Chengdu-Chongqing, Guanzhong-Tianshui and Beibuwan. At the same time, it should be noticed that the level of urbanization in western China is still far below the national average level. The national urbanization rate and that of eastern and central China is 52.57%、56.4%、53.4%、44.9% respectively. At the same time, there is a big interprovincial difference in urbanization rates in the western region with a highest rate of 56.98 in Chongqing Municipality and a lowest rate of 36.4 in Guizhou. The urbanization rates of Yunnan, Gansu and Guizhou are below 40%. Similar to other regions of the country, urbanization in western China is facing many challenges, including a large number of population transferring from agricultural areas to urban areas having difficulty integrating into urban society and becoming urban citizens; land urbanization being faster than population urbanization and an ineffective use of construction land; irrational urban spatial distribution, size and structure, not matching with resource and environment carrying capacity; low levels of urban management and service, and the “urban disease” problem increasingly becoming sharp; ineffective protection of natural and historical heritages, and urban construction lacking local features and the incompleteness of systems and mechanisms, hindering the healthy development of urbanization. This conference will discuss those issues on urbanization in western China and explore the new models of urbanization in the western China.

Southwest University, in association with CWCDS, the Western China Development Committee of Regional Science Association of China, and the Chinese Economists Society, Economic Research Journal, Journal of Management World, will host the 10th Annual Conference of the Consortium for Western China Development Studies in Chongqing, from 15th July to 16th June 2015.

Theme and Topics:

The theme of conference: New Urbanizations in Western China Development

The conference themes will include, but not be limited to, the following topics:

1. New model of urbanization and economic development

2. Prediction of future urbanization

3. Optimal sizes of urban agglomerations and layouts of urban function

4. Interactive development of new types of urbanization and regional economy

5. Urbanization and ecological civilization

6. Urbanization and agricultural modernization

7. Urbanization and establishment of a well-off society

8. Urbanization, poverty alleviation and development

9. Urbanization and tourism development

10. Institutional arrangements and Policies for new urbanization

11. Migration, equal education in the process of urbanization

12. Land policy

13. Conversion of migrant workers into urban residents

14. Urbanization and rural protection

15. Housing security and transformation of squatter areas

16. Urbanization in ethnic regions

17. Urbanization in frontier regions

18. Urbanization: International experiences and lessons

The conference welcome the proposals on organized panels related to western China development.

Abstract Submission:

Interested participants, including specialists, scholars, government officials, entrepreneurs, PhD candidates, and representatives of other organizations, should submit an abstract of less than 300 words online at http://china-ces.org/Conferences/ConferenceDefault.aspx?ID=41. The Paper Review Committee will screen all the papers and send out the notification of paper acceptance, together with an invitation letter. Confirmed participants should submit a completed paper in time.

Publication:

1. Deliver the conference proceedings at the conference

2. Publish a formal conference proceedings

3. Recommend the selected papers to several peer-review journals.

Important Dates:

April 30, 2015 - Deadline for abstract submission

May 15, 2015 - Notification of paper acceptance

June 10, 2015 - Deadline for full paper submission

Registration Fee for the Conference:

Registration before June 10, 2015: RMB 400 (USD 70)

Registration after June 10, 2015: RMB 600 (USD 100)

Full-time student: RMB 200 (USD 30)

Post-Conference Tours:

The local organizer will offer a free one day tour to New Development Zone after the conference.

The following one day tours are optional at your own cost.

Contact Information:

China Office:

The Consortium for Western China Development Studies

Prof. Minghong Yang

The Institute of Social Development & Western China Development Studies, Sichuan University

P.O. Box 391, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China

Email: westchina2015@umich.edu

TEL: +86-28-8540-6801

U.S. Office:

The Consortium for Western China Development Studies

Dr. Shuming Bao

China Data Center, University of Michigan

330 Packard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104, U.S.A

TEL: +1-734-647-9610 Email: westchina2015@umich.edu

The Local Host Office:

Dr. Shufeng Hu

School of Economics and Management, Southwest University

2# Tiansheng Road Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China

TEL: +86-15086625697

Email: westchina2015@umich.edu