From December 6 to 7, Nankai University successfully held the 24th National Annual Conference on Regional Economics Discipline Construction and the Academic Conference on "Constructing China's Independent Regional Economics Knowledge System Facing the Digital Intelligence Era". The National Annual Conference on Regional Economics Discipline Construction was co-initiated and hosted by three first-batch national key discipline units of regional economics: Nankai University, Renmin University of China, and Lanzhou University, and has been successfully held 23 times so far. This conference was co-organized by our college, the Urban Economics Professional Committee of the Chinese Regional Science Association, the Discipline Construction Professional Committee of the China Urban Economics Association, and the Tianjin Urban Economics Association.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Liu Binglian, Dean of our college. Niu Wenli, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Nankai University, Professor Zhang Keyun from the School of Applied Economics of Renmin University of China, and Professor Guo Aijun from the School of Economics of Lanzhou University delivered welcome speeches. More than 200 experts and scholars from universities and scientific research institutions across the country attended the conference.
The keynote session was co-hosted by Professor Zhang Keyun from Renmin University of China and Professor Li Lanbing, Director of the Strategic Development Department of Nankai University. Professor Sun Jiuwen from the School of Applied Economics of Renmin University of China, Professor Li Guoping, Director of the Capital Development Research Institute of Peking University, Professor Qin Chenglin from the School of Economics of Jinan University, Professor Zhou Mi, Director of the China Urban and Regional Economic Research Center of Nankai University, Researcher Zhao Zuoquan from the Institute of Science and Technology Strategy Consulting of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Mao Jinhuan, Vice Dean of the School of Economics of Lanzhou University, and Professor Zhang Gui, Secretary-General of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Development Research college of Nankai University, delivered keynote reports on the construction of the academic system, discourse system, and discipline system of regional economics, contributing to the construction of China's independent knowledge system of philosophy and social sciences.
This conference invited Professor Jiang Manqi from Nankai University, Professor Zhang Manyin from University of Science and Technology Beijing, Professor Shen Zhengping from Jiangsu Normal University, Professor Ye Chao from Fudan University, Professor Xi Qiangmin from Renmin University of China, Professor Yue Liping from Northwest University, and Professor Zhou Yi from Sichuan University to attend the high-end dialogue forum. Focusing on the theme of constructing China's independent regional economics knowledge system in the digital intelligence era, they conducted in-depth dialogues and exchanges on the changes in the digital intelligence era, new directions and trends of discipline construction, and regional development characteristics, deepening theoretical understanding and gathering academic consensus.
The conference set up nine parallel sub-forums. Regional economics researchers from all over the country conducted in-depth discussions on many hot topics such as theoretical innovation and the construction of China's independent regional economic knowledge system. The conference also set up a journal reader meeting session. Experts from more than 10 well-known journals such as *Xinhua Digest*, *World Economy Studies*, *Management World*, *China Population, Resources and Environment*, *International Trade Issues*, and *Nankai Economic Studies* shared the current hot topics concerned by the journals, the review process and matters needing attention. The participants actively participated in the discussions and exchanges.
