World scholars on China studies gather in Shanghai

The second edition of the World Conference on China Studies opened in east China's Shanghai on Tuesday, gathering about 500 guests from over 50 countries and regions around the world.

Li Shulei, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), delivered a speech at the conference.

Participants in the meeting stated that the congratulatory letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the World Conference on China Studies -- Shanghai Forum in 2023 provided important guidance for promoting academic exchanges and civilizational dialogue between China and other countries. While taking a global perspective, China's practices should be the basis to better contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to the world.

They believe that China studies should take the Chinese civilization as an organically unified entity, make an in-depth explanation of the path of Chinese-style modernization to clearly present a true, multi-dimensional and comprehensive China to the world, implement the Global Civilization Initiative to serve as a bridge between Chinese and other civilizations, and play a greater role in promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning.

Themed "Historical and Contemporary China: A Global Perspective", the conference was organized by the State Council Information Office and the Shanghai municipal government, with co-sponsorship from other government agencies and academic institutions.　　

The conference released the "Shanghai Initiative for Global Mutual Learning and Advancement of China Studies".

World scholars on China studies gather in Shanghai

U.S. economic activity rose slightly in most districts, with three regions reporting no changes and one region experiencing a moderate decline, the U.S. Federal Reserve said in its Beige Book released on Thursday.

This indicates an improvement compared to the last three reporting periods, during which most regions reported little change in economic activity, according to the Beige Book.

It shows that the outlook for future activity is mildly optimistic, with most expecting slight to modest growth in the coming months.

Most banks reported that the consumer spending went up slightly over the holiday season, buoyed by strong spending from higher-income consumers. Employment was mostly unchanged in the most recent period, with eight of the twelve districts reporting no changes in hiring. Prices grew at a moderate rate across a large majority of districts, with only two districts reporting slight price growth, the survey said.

Cost pressures resulting from tariffs were a consistent theme across all districts, it said.

The Beige Book, officially known as the Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District, is a survey on economic conditions based on information collected from its 12 regional reserve banks. It is published eight times per year.

US economic activity shows moderate growth amid inflation pressure: Fed Beige Book