From October 26 to 27, 2024, the Regional Science Association of China (RSAC) Annual Conference, along with the symposium on “Chinese-Style Modernization, New Productivity, and Regional Coordinated Development,” was held in Xi’an. The conference was jointly hosted by the Regional Science Association of China and Northwest University. Scholars from Peking University, Renmin University of China, Northwest University, Nankai University, Capital University of Economics and Business, Shandong University, Fudan University, and other universities and research institutions attended the event. Professor Zhou Mi, Professor Zhang Gui, Associate Professor Zhou Yulong, and Assistant Researcher Wang Ran from our college, along with Professor Jiang Manqi and Ph.D. student Zhang Xinbei from the School of Economics, participated in the conference.
On October 26, prominent scholars in regional economics from various universities delivered insightful presentations. The symposium featured parallel forum presentations and discussions across ten themes: Chinese-style modernization and regional coordinated development, theories and practices of new productivity, the “Belt and Road” initiative and major regional strategies, the new pattern of Western China development, urban-rural integration and rural revitalization, spatial economics theory and application, development of modernized city clusters and metropolitan areas, digital economy and regional industrial upgrading, dual-carbon goals and regional green development, and corporate growth and regional factor mobility.
On October 27, experts and scholars engaged in a dialogue focused on “New Productivity and Regional Coordinated Development.” The conference concluded with a closing ceremony, the handover of the conference flag, and the announcement that the 2025 Annual Conference of the Regional Science Association of China will be hosted by China University of Geosciences (Beijing).
Professor Zhou Mi from our college served as the chair and summarizer for Parallel Forum 1 on October 26. Professor Zhang Gui, Associate Professor Zhou Yulong, and Lecturer Wang Ran served as discussants for Forums 5, 9, and 10, respectively. Professor Jiang Manqi participated as a guest in the high-level dialogue on October 27.
Nankai University’s regional economics program holds a leading position nationwide, featuring research platforms such as the China Regional Economics Application Laboratory. The program has made significant advancements in regional policy design and impact assessment, as well as in the development of a regional economic big data platform. The college places a strong emphasis on academic exchange, encouraging faculty to actively build academic networks and enhance the influence of the discipline.
