Center for China Studies Celebrates 15th Anniversary

Attending the ceremony were VNU Director Nguyen Kim Son, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities). The conference also had the participation of scientists and managers from many universities and research institutes: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU-HCM, Institute of Chinese Studies, Institute of Han Nom Studies, Institute of Philosophy, Institute of Literature, Vietnam Buddhist Academy, Hanoi National University of Education, Da Nang University of Education, etc.

Director of VNU Nguyen Kim Son. He was the former Director of the Center for Chinese Studies from 2006-2017.

At the ceremony, VNU President Nguyen Kim Son said: Right from its inception, the first generation of leaders, Associate Professor, People's Teacher Nguyen Van Hong, had oriented to build a center for Chinese studies within a basic, interdisciplinary scientific research unit, with a foundation for research in social sciences and humanities. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities has strengths in research on Literature, History, Language, Han Nom, Oriental Studies, Philosophy, etc. This foundation has helped the Center have many advantages to carry out in-depth and interdisciplinary Chinese studies.

Compared to other research centers, the China Research Center chooses a “huge” research subject, that is, studying China from ancient times to the present and in all fields. In particular, the number of permanent staff of the Center is not large, so the Center chooses not to take on too many tasks, but tries to carry out each task “thoroughly”.

With that spirit, over the past 15 years, the Center has focused on the following main research streams: One main research direction is philosophical issues, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism; issues of ancient and modern China, issues of Vietnam-China relations, and the exchange and reception of Confucianism in Vietnam. The second stream is a number of contemporary issues in China, mainly issues related to education.

Over the past 15 years, the Center has translated more than 100 books, collaborated internationally to publish more than 10 other books, published more than 10 scientific conference proceedings and many other unpublished documents. The Center's translated documents serve research and teaching in most faculties in the University.

The Center also has quite extensive international cooperation with Peking University, Confucian Center, National Taiwan University, Chengdu University and a number of universities in Europe and the United States...

Dr. Nguyen Tho Duc sent his gratitude and presented flowers to the previous leader.

Dr. Nguyen Tho Duc (Director of the Center for Chinese Studies) expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the important contributions of the Center's previous leaders such as: Associate Professor, People's Teacher Nguyen Van Hong (former Director of the Center for Chinese Studies from 2002-2006), Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Kim Son (former Director of the Center for Chinese Studies from 2006-2017), Dr. Nghiem Thuy Hang (former Deputy Director of the Center for Chinese Studies). Dr. Nguyen Tho Duc also affirmed that the Center will inherit and develop according to the direction that has been created for the future, in order to continue the passion and aspirations of previous generations with the motto: "Must deeply understand a China of the past, present and future", "Research on China from any aspect must take Vietnam as the basis".

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim - Party Secretary, Vice Principal of the School presented flowers to the Center's leaders. He said that despite its young age, the Center is one of the strong units in the School's system of research centers.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Principal of the School) highly appreciated and praised the outstanding results that the Center has achieved. The Center has strengths such as: a team of staff attached to the Center; building a long-term and fundamental vision so that the effects and social influences from the Center's research products are of high quality; aiming at development goals and long-term vision in international relations; the support and cooperation of universities, research institutes and units inside and outside the School... With these advantages, the Party Committee and the School's Board of Directors believe that the Center for Chinese Studies will maintain its position as one of the School's strong research centers and continue to have research and academic activities that have a strong impact on society.

The Center for Chinese Studies was honored to receive a certificate of merit from the President of VNU for its achievements in 15 years of construction and development.

After the celebration is the scientific conference "Confucianism in the relationship of the three religions".This is an activity under a key research program that the Center is conducting. In the process of searching deeply for the elements with outstanding characteristics of the history of Vietnamese cultural ideology, the compatibility of the three religions is recognized as an important and particularly prominent stream. Therefore, searching for the correlation of the three religions is the way for scientists to clarify issues about the characteristics, nature, and trends of the history of Vietnamese ideology and culture in general.

Associate Professor Nguyen Cong Ly (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City) donated books to the Center.

Workshop "Confucianism in the relationship of three religions"