--Welcoming Speech at the 36th Congress of the International Institute of Sociology

Li Shenming, Vice President, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

July 7, 2004

Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, may I take this opportunity to congratulate on the opening of the 36th Congress of the International Institute of Sociology. Warmly welcome to scholars and friends from over 50 countries around the world!

The discipline of sociology has a history of 150 years. Nevertheless, among all the social sciences, it is still a youthful and vibrant one with distinguished scholars and numerous talents. Ever since its birth in the mid-19th century, sociology has focused on the themes of social order and social change, and its mission is to promote the development and progress of the human society. During this historical process, generations of sociologists have keenly observed and analyzed social phenomenon, addressed significant social problems, and, with the continuous accumulation of knowledge, sociology has become an empirically oriented discipline and established itself among social sciences.

In today’s world of increasing globalization, along with the rapid social and economic development as well as the expansion of science and technology, the social and economic interactions between countries or regions have been intensified, and these countries or regions have become increasingly interdependent on one another. In the meantime humans now face many shared new challenges, such as resource shortage, environmental deterioration, and enlarged gaps and constant conflicts between regions.

What our time calls for solution is under the general trend of globalization, how to hold firmly to peace and development, preserve cultural diversity, and promote harmony, stability and progress of the human society.

China began its magnificent journey of economic reform and open door policy in 1978. Since then the Chinese sociology has experienced unprecedented growth as well. Over the past 20 years, as the economy has continuously advanced at a high speed, the Chinese society has undergone profound transformations, which provides rich soil for the sprouting of sociological research. Thus sociology and sociologists in China have made significant contributions to China’s social and economic development.

For the past 20 years, what has been the focus of world attention are China’s dramatic achievements, including the historic leap of people’s lives from one based on minimum subsistence to Xiaokang (comparatively well-off). However, we are well aware of the many problems in the process of development. Especially in the areas of urbanization, employment, distribution of wealth and income, social security, education, health care, poverty release and anti-corruption, China is confronted with many difficulties and challenges.

It is with the realization of these difficulties and challenges and with the realization of this critical period of development that the Chinese government has recently proposed a humanitarian, comprehensive, and sustainable approach to scientific development in the areas of rural-urban, inter-regional, socio-economic, human-natural, and domestic-foreign relations, with the intention of further promoting reform and progress. This strategic thinking has significant and far-reaching implications for the comprehensive construction of Xiaokang Society and modernization.

The new strategy of scientific approach to development is grounded in the historical experiences of economic and social development in China as well as those of other countries in the world. After World War II, when the developing countries gained liberation and independence from imperial colonialism, the foremost problem they faced was to increase the very low productivity, improve people’s lives, reduce poverty, and enhance national power. Under these circumstances, most of the developing countries set the growth of GDP as the primary goal for developmental strategy. But consequently, these countries suffered from inefficient use of resources, dramatic disparity between the rich and the poor, unbalanced industries, deteriorating environment and severe deficits. What have also been shortchanged include areas of social development that affect people’s lives intimately such as mass education, labor protection, social welfare, medical care  and rural-urban coordination. In some cases, it even went so far into “growth without development.” It is against this background has the  “strategy for sustainable development” gradually gained acceptance among many nations in the world. This new age calls for environmental protection, resource economization, reducing poverty, and improving the quality of life, social equality and justice.

The efforts to coordinate developments between population, resources and environment and between economy and society can hardly generate instant results. Rather, they demand collaborative works of the mankind and the wisdom and contributions of sociologists as well.

Due to the SARS epidemic in Spring 2003 in China, the 36th Congress of the International Institute of Sociology was postponed. I apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused to the Congress participants. The SARS epidemic which sent an alarming message to China, has urged us to be more determined to adopt the scientific approach to development and avoid emergence of new social risks with the high speed of economic growth.

In the age of increasingly economic and information globalization, we should especially stress the balance between diversity and universality, value the cultural and historical traditions of various nations and regions, and respect their chosen developmental path according to their respective national conditions. It is based on this that I hope the participants of the Congress will engage in scholarly dialogues and in-depth theoretical exploration in the spirit of academic freedom and mutual understanding, and contribute to the advancement of sociology and to the peace and progress of mankind!

Finally, I wish a complete success of the 36th Congress of the International Institute of Sociology, and all the Congress participants a pleasant and healthy stay in Beijing.

Thank you all!

(China.org.cn July 7, 2004)