The 17th Silk Road Studies Forum concluded at Shanghai International Studies University on Saturday, bringing together 40 experts to discuss autonomous knowledge production in West China's neighboring regions and high-quality development in the Belt and Road Initiative's core areas. Experts stressed Xinjiang's crucial role as a functional hub in the BRI and shared practical pathways for cultural empowerment.
The 17th Silk Road Studies Forum, held at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) from Friday to Saturday, gathered 40 experts from Beijing, Shanghai, and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for a three-day event. The discussions centered on topics blending academic and practical significance, such as autonomous knowledge production in the neighboring regions of West China, discourse system construction, and the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) core areas.
Experts underscored that research on West China's neighboring regions must adhere to correct political, value, and academic orientations. Several highlighted Xinjiang's crucial role as a functional hub in the BRI's core area. A faculty member from Xinjiang Arts University shared practical pathways for empowering culture in Xinjiang through art in recent years. An official from Shanghai's publicity department outlined key projects for cultural enrichment in Xinjiang led by Shanghai.
An official with the Ministry of Education stated that research on West China's neighboring regions forms the basis for understanding the Silk Road and supports the country's overall diplomatic and foreign strategic layout. Now in its 17th edition, the forum has become one of China's most influential platforms in BRI-related research. Established a decade ago, SISU's Institute of Silk Road Strategy Studies has made significant progress in studies on West China's neighboring regions and plans to explore the Chinese path of autonomous knowledge production for high-quality BRI cooperation over the next five years.
The event emphasized Xinjiang's strategic position in regional cooperation, providing academic support for the BRI's sustainable development.