Introduction
Since its founding in 1988, the National Association of Australian Studies in China has been committed to promote Australian Studies and strengthen the mutual understanding and relationship between China and Australia. One of its major functions in promotion of Australian Studies is to organize biennial international conferences of Australian Studies in Chinese universities and colleges where Australian Studies centres exist and play host.
As it was planned by the National Association of Australian Studies in China, the 15th biennial international conference of Australian Studies in China was held from 8 to 10 July 2016 at Peking University and co-hosted by the National Association of Australian Studies in China and Australian Studies Centre at Peking University. As the title of the conference “Australia in the World: Past, Present and Future” indicated, the conference was intended to provide an open platform for scholars of Australian Studies from China, Australia and other countries and regions to explore how Australia engage with the world, politically, economically, culturally and diplomatically, in both history and future, especially when China and Australia singed Free Trade Agreement in 2015 and China peacefully kept rising as the second economy in the world and contributing to the stability and development of the international community as a whole. The conference was also meant to mark the 20th anniversary of Australian Studies Centre at Peking University, which was founded in 1996 as one of the earliest Australian Studies centre that began booming since the 1980s in the wake of China’s reform and opening-up policy.
The Organizing Committee of the 15th biennial international conference of Australian Studies was made up of nine academics from China and Australia, representing various fields and branches of Australian Studies. The nine members of the Organizing Committee along with their expertise and affiliations were introduced as follows.
Hu Zhanglin (胡壮麟): PKU Distinguished Professor in humanities and sciences, Founding Director of Australian Studies Centre at Peking University, Professor of linguistics and Australian Studies, Australian Studies Centre, Peking University.
Han Feng (韩锋): Professor of Australian Studies, Former Chairman of the National Association of Australian Studies in China, National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Kate Darian-Smith: Professor of Australian history and cultural heritages, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, the University of Melbourne, and Fellow of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA).
Liu Shusen (刘树森): Professor of Translation Studies and Australian Studies, Director of Australian Studies Centre, Peking University.
Greg McCarthy: BHP Billiton Chair Professor of Australian Studies at Peking University, Professor of Australian Politics, Australian Studies Centre, Peking University.
Zhang Yongxian (张勇先): Professor of English History and Australian Studies, Director of Australian Studies Centre, Renmin University of China.
Hou Minyue (侯敏跃): Professor of Australian Studies, Deputy Director of Australian Studies Centre, East China Normal University.
Wang Jinghui (王敬慧): Professor of Comparative Literature and Australian Studies, Executive Director of Australian Studies Centre, Tsinghua University.
Li Jianjun (李建军): Scholar of English Literature and Australian Studies, Director of Australian Studies Centre, Beijing Foreign Studies University.
As the result of the on-going development and expansion of Australian Studies in China along with China’s rise since the debut of the 21st century, which have been increasingly generating new interests in exploring untouched fields of Australian Studies, the conference aimed to extensively explore Australia as an important country in the Asia-Pacific region and China’s biggest trade partner in Oceania, including its natural environment, history, indigenous culture, society, culture, national identity, politics, economy, trade, international relations, education, languages, literature, arts, journalism, film and television, and new media. Besides, the conference also intended to discuss Australia’s position and role in the development of global civilization in both history and today, from the double perspectives of the historical evolution of human civilizations and the on-going globalization in the world today.
The Organizing Committee of the conference would like to invite academics, experts, and those who were related with Australian Studies to contribute to the conference by engaging in critical discussion, exchanging information, sharing academic resources, extending the ways and methods of academic exchange and collaboration in Australian Studies. It was believed that the continuing promotion of Australian Studies in China and beyond would strengthen the strategic partnership and mutual development of China and Australia and further enhance the traditional friendship between Chinese and Australian peoples.
As the conference call highlighted, priorities were given to the following topics as the major concerns of the 15th biennial international conference of Australian Studies.
● Natural environment and ecology in Australia
● Australian history and indigenous culture
● Australian economy and trade
● Australia’s politics and international relations
● Australian tertiary education
● Australian languages, literature, and arts
● Australian public health and public crisis management
● Australian journalism, film and television and new media
● Australia’s position and role in the Asia-Pacific region
● The opportunities and challenges for China and Australia after the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
For the convenience of the conference participants’ presentations and communications, the working languages of the conference were English and Chinese.
As Secretary of Australian Studies Centre, Peking University, Associate Professor Liu Hongzhong was Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the conference, who was responsible for all the service arrangements throughout the conference, including registration, presentation, accommodations, meals, local transportations, the possible emergency of heath assistance, and the cultural excursions after the conference. The secretarial team of the conference also included three assistants from the faculty of Peking University: Dr Ma Naiqiang (马乃强) and Dr Lu Wei (卢炜), School of Foreign Languages，Peking University, and Ms Liu Shui (刘水), Secretary of the Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Peking University. In addition, seven volunteers as Peking University students also played a vital role as members of the secretarial team to make the conference as successful and satisfactory as it was expected. Those capable and impressive volunteers included Zhao Yuzhen (赵玉珍), PhD student of the School of Foreign Languages, Peking University, as well as six MA students of School of Foreign Languages, Peking University: Liu Yang（刘洋）, Zhang Le（张乐）, Chen Lei (陈蕾), Zou Hongyu (邹鸿宇), Zhu Ge (朱鸽), and Zheng Xiaoye (郑晓烨).
What has been achieved in promoting Australian Studies in China and building up stronger and more extensive connections among academics and experts engaged in Australian Studies at the 15th biennial international conference of Australian Studies owe much to the extraordinarily satisfying and memorable service and contributions of the secretarial team.