The fourth World Forum on China Studies opened in Shanghai on November 6. With the theme of “China integrating into a diverse world,” the forum gathered about 280 scholars from more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and Oceania.

At the forum, four eminent scholars-Jacques Gernet from France, Alden Kuhn from the United States, Igor A. Rogachev from Russia and Kazuko Mori from Japan-were honored for their outstanding contributions to China studies.

Beginning this year, the biennial forum will be co-sponsored by the State Council Information Office and the Shanghai Municipal Government.

China is following a new, peaceful road of development different from the trajectories that led to the rise of major powers in the past, said Wang Chen, Minister of the State Council Information Office, in his keynote speech, “A Vision of China’s Peaceful Development and World Harmony.”

Two roundtable discussions, focusing respectively on “understanding the real China” and “China studies: past, present and future,” as well as eight panel discussions, were held during the forum.