Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) – the processor is Center of Chinese Studies, is established under Decision no. 406/TTg of Prime Minister on 13rd September 1993 and based on Decision no. 250/QĐ – KHXH on 27th February 2012 by President of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Chinese Studies is a scientific research institute and member unit of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Its functions are to carry out basic research on China to provide scientific arguments for planning pathways, guidelines, and policies of the Party and State; to do the consultancy and training postgraduate in Chinese studies; to participate in developing potential of social sciences of the country and to contribute in strengthening and developing Vietnam – China relation.
Until the end of June in 2013, Institute of Chinese Studies has 58 staffs and officers and another 10 contract researchers.
The Institute has 1 professor doctor, 1 associate professor doctor, 8 doctors, 18 masters ( 5 of them are doctoral student in and outside the country), 17 BAs (4 of them are studying master degree).
About the research titles, there are two senior researchers, ten main researchers, and the rest are researchers and internship researchers.
In addition, the Institute also has a group of collaborators who are scientists specialized in researching China belonged to other research institutes of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, and Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam…
After 20 years of establishment, the Institute has many achievements in scientific research such as:
To complete two projects at State level, more than 40 projects at ministry level, and over 300 projects at Academy level, as well as to implement 5 international cooperative projects, and to participate in other sub-projects of National Programs outside the Academy. The results of these projects are published in books, proceedings, or printed in professional journals.
The Institute has published over 60 books which are results of projects at State and ministry level as well as PhD and Master Dissertations. Moreover, Chinese Studies Review of the Institute, since the first edition in June 1995 to June 2013, has 142 editions with over 800 scientific research articles in and outside the country among them nearly a half are done by officers and researchers of Institute of Chinese Studies. The Institute is not only an official unit of VASS but also a Forum for domestic and Chinese researchers.
In terms of cooperation between China and ASEAN, the Institute is responsible for Center of ASEA and Chinese Studies (CACS) to form a network of Chinese Studies in ASEAN countries and South East Asia Studies of China. In recent years, CACS has carried out many activities such as two international conferences and two joint research programs and the outcomes of them are published in 4 books in English for the purpose of international exchange.
The scientific works are published by the Institute contributed in providing basic, comprehensive, and relatively systematic information of China on economy, society, politics, history, culture, foreign policies, national security of China… in order to help Vietnamese readers to have a scientific and neutral view of contemporary China, especially the reform in China as well as being a great source of useful reference documents for students, postgraduate students, doctoral students, and people with interests to study China, significantly contributed in training Chinese Studies researchers in Vietnam. These achievements can be summarized as following:
1. Socio – Economy of China
This is an important research field of the Institute, and the following contents are focused on:
Firstly, to concentrate on researching theoretical and practical issues of reforming and developing socio – economy in China such as: Significant matters in developing socio – economy of China in the first ten years of 21st Century and the expectation towards 2020; to evaluate the rise of Chinese economy and recommended issues to Vietnam; the market – oriented reform of China; the role of State in dealing with financial and currency crisis; the diversion of economic development method, regional development, rural – urban areas, the problem of rural areas, farmers, and agriculture, and developing border areas for wealthy people…
Secondly, to research comprehensively on Chinese Study and explain the theoretical and practical issues of building a harmonious society in China; social factors appeared during the rise of China; people issues and social problems emerging in the process of China's transition to market economy such as social stratification, wealth gap, and unstable society…
Thirdly, to concentrate on researching the international integration experience of China including the before and after joining World Trade Organization (WTO) to recommend informative suggestions for Vietnam when joining WTO.
2. Politics of China
The research projects mainly focused on explaining the reform of political system of China, especially the reform and completion of leadership of Communist Party of China under the circumstances of transiting to market economy and international integration, to reform and complete the government towards the direction of building a socialist legislative State; to reform administration towards the direction of serving government, the matters of implementing democracy at Chinese rural level; the breakthroughs in developing thinking in China, to prevent corruption… These researches helped Vietnamese readers to understand more of political regimes in China as well as the experiences in reforming political system in China recently.
Among the experiences in reforming the political system, there is a lesson of improving the ruling ability of Communist Party and prevention of corruption like: the Party must go beyond time and rule the sciences, democracy, regulations, and people, to build a learning party and learning society model. To prevent the corruption but at the same time to respect the punishment as well as prevention, in terms of preventing corruption must respect to build up mechanism, power control system to “captive tigers in the power cage mode”. Different from economy, the consequences of corruption to politics is uncountable and very serious, because it directly relates to the belief of people and ruling of Communist Party of China…
3. History of China
In recent years, the Institute has implemented a number of researches on history of China through different periods, and initially achieved results such as: Research on history of modern China; Xinhai Revolution; 50 years before the People's Republic of China (1949 – 1999); The progress of reform in China since 1978; The role of Chinese in South East Asia in the development of China (1978 – 2005); The progress of developing socio-economy in rural areas of China (1978 – 2008)…
4. Culture and literature of China
Along with other research fields, Chinese culture and literature are also focused in recent years, among them have a number of projects at ministry level, PhD and master dissertation which are published. For the culture, the Institute has researched on matters such as: To build a socialist culture full of Chinese characteristics, to form the civil spirit, to build an advanced socialist culture in China, traditional festivals in China, soft power of Chinese culture… For the literature, the Institute has researched on the art style of Su Dongpo poetry and the art in Cao Yu’s plays.
5. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau
Beside the researches on Chinese mainland, the Institute also concentrated on other regions such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and the cooperation between them and Chinese mainland. They are the research on the progress of socio-economic development in Taiwan; reform, educational development of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau before and after the transfer of sovereignty; the commercial relation of two side of Taiwan Strait; the relation of Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, the cooperation in expanding region Zhū Jiāng of China…
6. Foreign affairs, national security and defense of China
The projects focused on exploring the foreign policies and affairs of China since the reform until now, for example: Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in 20 years of the early 21st century, adjustments in foreign policies to secure the rise of China in the period of 2011 – 2020… Among them, the outstanding contents are indicated such as: Diplomacy to serve the economic growth, strengthening the role and China’s influence in the region and around the world, the recommended issues to Vietnam from adjustments in foreign policies of China. Besides that, the Institute also researched on the relation of China – U.S, China- Russia, China – Japan, and China – ASEAN since the Cold War until now. To explore in the rise of national security and defense of China in the first ten years of 21st century, the significant orientations of national defense of China to find out the issues for Vietnam in current period and the upcoming years of 21st century…
7. The relation of Vietnam - China
In recent years, thanks to the support of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and international organizations, Institute of Chinese Studies in collaboration with local agencies in Vietnam and China has carried out many projects, plans, and conferences on the relation of Vietnam – China and the results are published including: The reality and prospect of economic, cultural relation of Vietnam – China; The open foreign policies of Vietnam and relation of Vietnam – China; the role of Lao Cai Province in developing the economic partnership Con Minh – Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong; “To develop two corridors one economic belt” Vietnam – China in terms of ASEAN – China cooperation;…
The Institute has implemented many projects and tasks at ministry level on the significant issues in the relation of Vietnam – China in the first ten years of 21st century and the prospect towards 2020; the relation of Vietnam – China in consideration with the rise of China, posed issues and solutions of Vietnam in the period of 2011 – 2020; the situation of commerce in North West Provinces (Vietnam) and Yunnan (China)…
These researches above has strengthened the understanding of both Vietnamese and Chinese which is to promote the stable and positive relation of Vietnam – China.
8. Researches and other applications
Since 2006, the Institute has carried out researching, updating the situation of China on economy, politics, society, culture, diplomacy, national security and defense annually, the situation of socio – economic development in border provinces of China and Vietnam which helps Vietnamese readers to understand current situation in China every year.
To combine scientific research, training and consulting businesses, in 2012 the Institute was allowed by President of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences to establish “Center for cooperative research, training, and consulting for Vietnam - China businesses” operated in form of financial autonomy.
In 2012, as soon as its establishment , the Center collaborated with Center for Vietnamese Studies belonged to Industrial University of Zhe Jiang held “Forum for Vietnamese and Chinese businesses: Potential and cooperative opportunities” in Hanoi on 21st November 2012. The forum contributed to improve the understanding for managers, scientists, and businesses from two countries as well as opened up a new operating direction for the Institute is researching alongside with practices.
Beside these achievements, the Institute has notable achievements in:
1. Cooperative training
In 2012, Institute of Chinese Studies in collaboration with Institute for Northeast Asian Studies, Institute of South East Asian Studies and Vietnam Institute of Indian and Southwest Asian Studies to create the training program named Master in Asian Studies belonged to Graduate Academy of Social Sciences to launch the program. Staff of the Institute participated in teaching and guiding for graduate and post graduate dissertations, assessing council in many training institutions in and out of the Academy such as: Graduate Academy of Social Sciences, Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Faculty of History and faculty of oriental studies…), University of Economics and Business - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
2. International Cooperation
The Institute has created many cooperative relations with foreign universities, research institutions as well as Russian Far East Academy, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, Industrial University of Zhe Jiang, University of Ji Nan, Hong He Academy… to implement many research projects, and big conferences. Thereby, strengthening the international exchanges with international scholars.
Thank to these results and achievements, Institute of Chinese Studies has confirmed its reputation in Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences which continuously make the Institute become a familiar “destination” for Vietnamese, Chinese, and international researchers all over the world.
