On November5, the Symposium on “Insufficient Household Consumption in China and the Release of Consumption Potential under the New Development Pattern” of the Handbook of Chinese Economic Studies (short for the  Handbook ) was held in Guangdong University of Finance (GDUF). The symposium was hosted by the Committee of the  Handbook  and the GDUF. Professor Wu Weixing, deputy secretary of CUEB Party Committee and president, attended the symposium. Professor Liu Wei, former president of Renmin University of China (RUC), and Professor Chen Yanbin, member of Standing Committee of CUEB Party Committee and Vice President, attended on behalf of the Committee of the Handbook. Professor Li Jianjun, Secretary of GDUF Party Committee, attended on behalf of the host. The discussion session was presided by Chen Yanbin.

During the opening ceremony, Li Jianjun delivered a speech, extending a sincere welcome to attendees. Li introduced the educational principle of GDUF and summarized the achievements of the school in terms of its development, education and contribution related to finance. Li highly praised the contribution of the  Handbook  to constructing an independent knowledge system in economics. He also highlighted the significance of this symposium in promoting high-quality development in China’s economy and wished the symposium a great success.

Then, Liu Wei delivered a speech. He emphasized that the Handbook is an important carrier of the independent knowledge system in economics, with the aim to summarize scholars’ contributions to major economic issues in China, and construct a general analytical framework, which will serve as a foundation for further study and allow for continuously improvement in practice, thus promoting the construction of China’s self-independent knowledge system.

Chen Yanbin delivered a speech. He emphasized the characteristics and writing standards of the  Handbook  and its importance in constructing China’s independent knowledge system, and pointed out two characteristics of the  Handbook : being platform-oriented and being ecologically systematic. What’s more, a regular update is a need for the Handbook to accelerate the construction and improvement of the independent knowledge system.

During the discussion, Wu Weixing commented on the chapter “Insufficient Household Consumption in China and the Release of Consumption Potential under the New Development Pattern” by Professors Zang Xuheng and Yi Xingjian.

More than 10 presidents and top experts from universities and research institutions nationwide attended the symposium, including Chen Binkai, Assistant President of the Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE), Dean of the School of Economics of CUFE, and Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor, Gan Li, Director of Survey and Research Center for China Household Finance of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics and Changjiang Scholar Chair Professor, Guo Kesha, Dean of the School of Economics and Finance of Huaqiao University, and Director of Center for Economic and Policy Research of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Lai Desheng, Deputy Director of the Department of Social and Ecological Civilization of Party School of the Central committee of (National Academy of Governance), Leading Talent of “Ten Thousand Plan”- National High Level Talents Special Support Plan and Changjiang Distinguished Professor, Li Tao, Vice President of CUFE, Leading Talent of “Ten Thousand Plan”- National High Level Talents Special Support Plan, and Candidate for the New Century National Hundred,Thousand and Ten Thousand Talent Project, Liu Zilan, Vice President of Hunan Normal University, Wan Guanghua, Distinguished Second Level Professor of Fudan University (FDU), Director of Institute of the World Economy, and Former Principal Economist of the Asian Development Bank, Yuan Zhigang, Director of Employment and Social SecurityResearch Center of FDU, Director of the Academic Committee of the Faculty of Economics and Management of East China Normal University, and Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor (Listed in alphabetical order by surname).

Introduction to the  Handbook  and Symposium

The Handbook is an important carrier of the independent knowledge system in economics.It aims to summarize scholars’ contributions to major economic issues in China and construct a general analytical framework. It is co-authored by dozens of authoritative scholars, including Chen Yanbin, Fan Liming, Fan Conglai, Gong Liutang, Guo Qingwang, Gu Hailiang, Huang Qunhui, Lin Yifu, Liu Wei, Tong Jiadong, Yang Canming, and Zhang Jun (Listed in alphabetical order by surname).

The  Handbook , in line with the authority and cutting-edge perspectives of international  Handbook in Economics ,focuses more on economic issues in China. All chapters are organized around major issues of China’s economy. The Handbook not only summarizes the unique economic categories of China, the original contributions and theories of Chinese scholars but also endeavors to construct a general analytical framework applicable to major issues of China’s economy.

The Handbook consists of such sections as “Political Economy of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics”, “Chinese Macroeconomics and Chinese Finance”, etc. In more than a year, the first batch of over 30 chapters has been basically completed, with a total of nearly 2 million words. The Working Committee of the  Handbook  is fully advancing two important tasks. The first task is that, considering the current preparations of the chapters and other factors, the Committee has initially identified 5 chapters to be launched online by the end of 2023 to early 2024. Other chapters will also be released online accordingly. The second task is to hold expert symposiums on each chapter to improve the writing quality. On March 18 2023, a symposium on “Transfer Payment and Regional Balanced Development” was held at Shandong University. On April 16, a symposium on“Real Estate and China’s Macroeconomics” was held at Beijing Technology and Business University. On April 23, a symposium on “Fiscal Redistribution and the Realization of Common Wealth” was held at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law.On June 7, a symposium on “Interest Rate Control and Liberalization” was held at CUFE. On June 10, a symposium on “Government Debt Scale and Fiscal Sustainability” was held at University of International Business and Economics. On November 5, a symposium on “Insufficient Household Consumption in China and the Release of Consumption Potential under the New Development Pattern” was held at Guangdong University of Finance.