Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1990

Prof. Ambrose Y.C. King, pro-vice-chancellor of The Chinese University, officiated at th e opening ceremony of the conference. He stated that more such conferences should be held to help establish a social indicator system and a theoretical framework tallying with the Chinese culture and the socio-political situation of China. More than 10 papers were presented at the conference and there was a panel discussion on the 'Prospec t of Cooperation in Social Indicator Studies among Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong'. All participants felt that collaboration should be strengthened and the exchange of relevant information among all parties concerned should be the first step. They decided to hold the second conference in 1992 and five major themes for the conference were identified: 1. theoretical and methodological issues in social indicator research; 2. overall social development in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong; 3. social participation; 4. public perception of social problems; 5. quality of life. HKIAPS has been invited to coordinate the exchange of information and to organize the next conference. The Commonwealth Geographical Burea u held an international workshop in Hong Kong for the first time, from 10th to 14th December 1990. More tha n 20 scholars and experts from 12 Commonwealth countries, including England, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, India, New Zealand and Kenya gathered on the CUHK campus for the five-day event. The workshop was sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation, the University's Department of Geography, and HKIAPS. Officiating guests at th e opening ceremony included Prof. Charles K. Kao, vice-chancellor of The Chinese University; Prof. J.T. Parry, director of the Commonwealth Geographical Bureau; and Prof. Yeung Yue-man, professor of geography and director of HKIAPS, who is also the Asian delegate of the Commonwealth Geographical Bureau. In his welcoming address, Prof. Charles K. Kao pointe d out that apart from being a financial and communication centre of the Asian Pacific region, Hong Kong could play an important role as an education and researc h centre in the run-up to 1997 and beyond. Over the five days, some 20 papers were presented covering issues related to economic development and resource management, urbanization, transport, population and labour supply, agricultural and environmental protection in Pacific Asia in the coming century. Also included in the programme of the workshop was a field trip to the New Territories where participants inspected the planning of new towns and visited some of the government departments concerned. At the end of the workshop, participants took par t in a panel discussion on ways to reinforce exchanges between themselves in the future. The proceedings of the workshop will be compiled and published by HKIAPS in due course. International Conference on the Relationships among Countries of the Taiwan Straits : China, Japan, Taiwan Hong Kong The conference was cosponsored by the Overseas Chinese Archives of HKIAPS and the Faculty of International Studies and Business of the Kyushu International University of Japan. About 60 scholars and expert specialists on Asian affairs took part in the function held at the Cho Yiu Conference Hall from 20th to 21st December 1990. Participants tried to analyse the history and present status of economic relationships among countries of th e region, and discussions centred around three main topics : The Present Status of Research by Chinese and Japanese Scholars on the History of the Development of Relationships among Countries of the Taiwan Straits', 'Investments and Trading Activities of the Overseas Chinese in Japan and in China', and 'The Present Conditions and Future Prospects of Economic Relationships among Countries of the Taiwan Straits'. Fifteen papers were presented by notable scholars from various institutes such as Hua Qiao University of China, Kyushu International University of Japan, Academia Sinica of Taiwan, Miyazaki Women's Junior College of Japan, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prof. Yeung Yue-man, director of HKIAPS, officiated at the opening ceremony. Prof . Nobuchika Ichikawa of Kyushu International University and Prof. Hiroshi Aikawa of Nagano Prefecture College delivere d the keynote speeches. Specialists and senior administrative and management personnel of official and semi-official Japanese organizations in Hong Kong were also invited to present papers and take part in the panel discussion sessions. Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies - 1 7