WACS membership covers 52 countries and regions

The World Conference on China Studies -- Shanghai Forum was held in Shanghai on November 24, 2023. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the forum. Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), announced that the World Association for China Studies (WACS) was formally established at the opening ceremony of the forum. WACS is a non-profit and non-governmental, international social organization composed voluntarily of China studies institutions, scholars and experts from around the world. WACS is headquartered in Beijing, and CASS is in charge of operation of WACS.

There are 73 founding members of WACS from 29 countries and regions. Since the announcement of its establishment, WACS upholds the principles of openness and inclusiveness, extensively gathering overseas China studies research forces with high-quality membership development. Up to January 2025, the number of WACS members has reached 126, including 92 individual and 34 institutional members from 52 countries and regions. Relevant renowned China studies research institutions and sinologists from Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania voluntarily applied to join WACS.

In 2025, WACS will continue to play its role as an international academic organization and platform, to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field of China studies worldwide and foster mutual exchange of civilizations. WACS will continuously endeavor to build and share a common home for scholarly exchanges among experts and scholars from all over the world.