NSU and Yunnan University Convene 2nd China–South Asia Connectivity Conference in Kunming. The 2nd International Conference on China-South Asia Civilisation and Connectivity, co-hosted by Yunnan University and North South University (Bangladesh), officially commenced at the Donglu Campus of Yunnan University. This year’s theme, “Harmony in Diversity, Unity for All”, brought together over 60 experts and scholars from China, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and other nations. Participants gathered in Kunming, the “Spring City”, to discuss civilizational dialogue, regional connectivity, economic and cultural cooperation, and the “Global South.”
The conference was organised by the Center for China-South Asia Social and Cultural Studies (CSSCS), a joint initiative of the School of Ethnology and Sociology at Yunnan University and North South University and hosted by the Center for Southwest Frontier Ethnic Minority Studies at Yunnan University (under the Ministry of Education). The inaugural conference was held in December 2024 at North South University in Bangladesh; it yielded significant academic outcomes and established a regular channel for dialogue among scholars from the two universities and the participating countries. Building upon the foundations laid by the first event, this edition, held in Kunming, seeks to further deepen cooperation between academic communities in China and South Asian nations in the realms of mutual civilizational learning and cultural exchange.
Ma Wenhui, President of Yunnan University, stated at the opening ceremony that China and South Asia are linked by both geography and cultural heritage, with a history of civilizational exchange spanning more than two millennia. Yunnan University has cultivated deep expertise in South Asian studies. The university remains committed to utilising its regional and disciplinary strengths to provide intellectual support for people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and South Asia. This conference will foster mutual understanding between the peoples of China and South Asian nations.
In his address, Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of North South University (NSU) in Bangladesh, reflected on the two-decade-long partnership between Yunnan University and NSU that began with the establishment of the Confucius Institute at NSU in 2006 and continued with the founding of the China-South Asia Center for Socio-Cultural Studies in 2023, and has evolved from language and cultural exchange into interdisciplinary academic research and joint talent cultivation.
During the opening ceremony, Professor Nasar U. Ahmed, Pro VC of North South University and Professor Yang Shaojun, Vice President of Yunnan University, signed a memorandum of understanding on inter-university cooperation and launched a joint “2+1+1” undergraduate program in anthropology. This marks a new phase in their partnership and talent cultivation, and establishes a solid foundation for the continued deepening of exchanges and cooperation between the two universities.
Following the opening ceremony, a keynote session featured presentations from several Chinese and international scholars on their latest research. Professor Jing Jun from Tsinghua University explored the issue of artificial intelligence sovereignty from the perspective of the “Global South.” Professor Sk. Tawfiq M. Haque, Director, South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG), NSU, Bangladesh, analysed the opportunities and structural contradictions in 21st-century China-South Asia relations through economic, strategic, and human-centered lenses. Professor Mohammad Bulbul Ashraf Siddiqi, Director, Confucius Institute, NSU, focused on the Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, arguing that Bangladesh’s participation in the corridor must balance economic gains, strategic autonomy, and human security. Professor He Ming from Yunnan University drew upon the philosophy of Fei Xiaotong encapsulated in the sixteen-character principle: “Appreciate the beauty of one’s own culture, recognise the beauty in others’ cultures, share the beauty of all cultures, and achieve a world of harmony and unity” to elucidate the theoretical foundations, contemporary significance, and prospects of mutual learning between Chinese and South Asian civilisations.
Over the next two days, the participating scholars will engage in seven parallel breakout sessions. These sessions will focus on key themes including China’s political and diplomatic relations with South Asia, infrastructure connectivity, media communication, inter-civilizational exchange and mutual learning, economic and technical cooperation and regional development, public health, and knowledge production and development cooperation within the “Global South” through the presentation of research papers and collective discussion.