“The 5th International Conference on Chinese Indonesian Studies and the International Symposium on Maritime Silk Road and Southeast Asian Chinese Diaspora: Past, Present and Future” were held in Xiamen University and Quanzhou Overseas Transportation History Museum from November 25 to 26, 2018. The conference was sponsored by Research School for Southeast Asian Studies of Xiamen University, Center For Southeast Asian Studies of Xiamen University, Indonesian Research Center of Xiamen University, Institute of Malaysian Studies of Xiamen University and China Society for Southeast Asian Studies. It was co-sponsored by Universitas Kristen Maranatha, Universitas Kristen Petra, Universitas Tarumanagara, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata, Kkyo University, and The University of Malaya. Over 60 scholars and guests from universities and research institutes in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines were present.
On the morning of November 25, 2018, Wu Chongbo, Vice Dean of Research School For Southeast Asian Studies of Xiamen University, delivered a welcoming speech and invited H.E. Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China and Mongolia, to deliver a speech. In his speech, Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun stressed that “China and Indonesia has increasingly close contacts. The most important thing is to connect people’s hearts and strengthen cultural exchanges. China is the largest country in Asia and Indonesia ranks third. The relationship between China and Indonesia plays an important role in the development and stability of the region and the world.”
Professor Zhuang Guotu of Xiamen University, Dr. Setefanus Suprajitno (Dr. Lin Hongan) of Petra University in Sishui, Indonesia, Dr. Krismanto Kusbiantoro (Dr. Luo Zhichun) of Maranata Christian University in Bandung, Indonesia, and Associate Professor Wong Sin Kiong (Huang Xianqiang) of Singapore National University made keynote speeches. Professor Zhuang’s main topic was “Maritime Silk Road and Overseas Fujian Immigrants to Southeast Asia”; Dr. Lin Hongan’s main topic was “Ties and Connections: Some Questions and Reflections on the Reactions of Indonesian Chinese to China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative”; Dr. Luo Zhichun’s main topic was “the Traditional Chinese Cross-cultural Tourism Prospects of Bandung Chinese: the Sustainability of the Initiative along the Way’; Professor Huang Xianqiang delivered a speech entitled “Research on Chinese Consuls and Overseas Chinese Consuls on both sides of the Straits of Malacca from the End of Qing Dynasty to the Beginning of the Republic of China: from Historical Studies to Cross-regional Studies”.
The themes of the conference included (1) Indonesian Chinese: cultural heritage and influence; (2) the new maritime Silk Road and the Chinese community in Indonesia; (3) the maritime Silk Road and Southeast Asia; (4) Qiaopi and overseas Chinese studies; ( 5) China and Southeast Asia relationship; (6) “One Belt and One Road” and Southeast Asia; (7) contemporary Indonesian Chinese Society: culture and identity; (8) Southeast Asian Chinese Ethnic Group: from the Perspective of Other Countries; (9) the Social History of Chinese in Southeast Asia ; (10) Indonesian Chinese and China-Indonesia Relationship.
