The International Conference on “China – South Asia Civilization and Connectivity: History and Contemporary Issues” aims to understand the contours of relations between China and South Asia through the broad lenses of history, civilization, sociocultural dynamics, economic and political ties. “What’s past is prologue”, to borrow from Shakespeare (The Tempest), sets the context of this conference to explore, broaden and deepen our understandings of the past, the present and the future of China – South Asia relationships.
China – South Asia relations are multifaceted that build and thrive on historical, civilizational, cultural, socio-economic, political, media and diplomatic ties. Beijing’s relations with the South Asian countries have further deepened and widened in the contemporary context. Apart from long historical and civilizational trajectories, China’s recent rise as a global economic powerhouse has significant implications for her South Asian neighbors, with mega initiatives like the Belt and Road (BRI) offering opportunities for development for the smaller South Asian states of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka but also ringing an alarm bell in New Delhi which considers South Asia it’s traditional sphere of influence. The conference organizers, against this backdrop, invite scholars, policymakers, researchers, business leaders, and media experts to critically examine, interpret/reinterpret, and project China – South Asia relations from diverse perspectives – historical, civilizational, socio-cultural, economic, environmental, health, educational, political and geopolitical. This proposed international conference, in other words, offers the platform to encourage academic and policy-oriented dialogues, debate emerging issues of understandings between China and South Asia in their entirety, critically assess how the relationships are progressing and what promises/pitfalls the future holds for China – South Asia relations.
Organized by the CSCSS at NSU, the conference hopes to provide a platform for researchers, scholars, policy-makers and concerned stakeholders to share and exchange knowledge and ideas related to the conference themes.
Date: 27 – 28 December 2024