The conference will be held in Beijing, the capital city of China with over 3,000 years of history. Situated at the northern end of the North China Plain, Beijing belongs to the warm temperate zone with a semi-humid climate and distinctive seasons – short spring and autumn but long summer and winter. The average temperature in June is about 26Ž. The city has an area of 16,808 square kilometers, with a population of over 16 million in 2005. As the national capital, Beijing is a city of immigrants from all over the country and thus has a mixed and heterogeneous culture. Since it was the capital of five feudal dynasties in Chinese history (907-1911), the city has many magnificent and exciting historical sites, e.g. the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace – all of the four sites are on the List of World Cultural Heritages of the UNESCO.

In more recent years, Beijing has been transformed rapidly into a cosmopolitan city. Today, the city hosts some 124 regional headquarters of the Fortune 500 firms and hundreds of thousands of foreigners. In 2005, over 3.6 million of foreigners visited Beijing. Furthermore, the 29th Olympic Games will be held in the city in 2008, and the main Olympic buildings, e.g. the National Stadium and National Aquatic Center, will be completed by mid-2007 (our conference will be held near the Olympic Center). English is becoming more popular in Beijing since many Beijing residents are learning the language in preparation for the 29th Olympic Games. Beijing is also well known for offering a wide variety of Chinese cuisines from different regions of the country. Of course, excellent western foods are also available. For more information about Beijing, please visit http://english.bjta.gov.cn/bjdls

Field trips will be conducted for specific sites in Beijing, as well as nearby historical sites in Beijing and, perhaps, Shanghai. Participants are encouraged to use this conference to embark upon more lengthy trips throughout China and the East Asian region.

Proposed fieldtrip sites:

1. Included in registration and to be held concurrently on Thursday 28 June 2007:

2. Optional fieldtrips inside Beijing (not included in registration, exact cost will be determined in the Second Circular):

  • The Great Wall
  • The Forbidden City
  • Summer Palace
  • Hutong or traditional cluster houses

3. Optional fieldtrips outside Beijing offered by professional travel agencies (not included in registration, exact cost will be determined in the Second Circular):

  • Exploring the new economic space in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta in China (e.g. Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and so on; Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dongguang)
  • Experiencing China's diverse regional cultures (e.g. Xi’an of Shan’xi province, and Kunming and Lijiang of Yunnan province)
  • Exciting trips to Tibet, Xinjiang, and the Silk Road.

Second Global Conference on Economic Geography | Rationale | Themes | Format & Schedule | Organizers | Registration & Fieldtrips | Accommodation | Enquiries

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