History

The Yunnan Institute of Southeast Asian Studies of the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences was one of the Southeast Asian research institutes established after new China was founded, with a history that could be traced back to the early 1960s. In 1963, the Southeast Asian Research Group was set up within the Yunnan Provincial History Research Institute and systematic research on history, ethnic and other issues of Myanmar(Burma), Thailand and other Indochina countries began. The Southeast Asian Research Group had compiled “Historical Documents about Southeast Asia from the Histories of China’s 24 Dynasties”, “Collection of Historical Documents about Yunnan (from the Memoir of Ming Dynasty)”, and “Extracts of Historical Documents about Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, and Laos (from the Memoir of Qing Dynasty)”. The research work came to a standstill during the “Great Cultural Revolution”.

In 1972, the Yunnan Provincial History Research Institute was reestablished, and the Southeast Asia Research Department was set up and the research work resumed. An internal magazine “Southeast Asian Documents” was published on a non-periodical basis. After1976, the research work had seen further progress and starting from 1979 the research department began offering master’s degrees in Southeast Asia History and Contemporary Southeast Asia.

In 1981, combining the forces of the Southeast Asia Research Department and South Asia Research Department within the Yunnan Provincial History Research Institute, the Yunnan Institute of Southeast Asian Studies of the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences was formally established. In 1983, based on the internal magazine “Southeast Asian Documents”, a new quarterly “The Southeast Asia” was published, which became the first academic publication in the field of Southeast Asia studies in China.

Organizational Structure and Personnel

The institute now has 4 professors, 3 associate professors, 8 research assistants, 4 junior researchers and staff responsible for books and documents and office work.

The current director of the institute is Professor Wang Shilu and the vice-director is research assistant Li Jianming.

The institute includes Research Dept. of Southeast Asian Politics and Economy, Research Dept. of Thailand, Research Dept. of Myanmar, Research Dept. of Vietnam and Cambodia, Research Dept. of Laos, Books and Documents Dept., and the institute office.

The institute now has more than 50,000 books, of which 15,000 are foreign-language books, including English, Japanese, French, Russian, Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Lao and Hindi. The institute subscribes more than 80 Chinese and about 90 international newspapers and periodicals.

The institute publishes the quarterly “The Southeast Asia” both at home and abroad.

Research Scope

   The institute focuses its researches on Indochina peninsular countries, i.e. Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. At the same time, much emphasis has also been placed on Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and other regional issues. The research scope covers international economics, international politics, international relations, history, and ethnology. Current research focuses include: (1) Southeast Asian economies; (2) Southeast Asian regional and sub-regional cooperation; (3) Contemporary Southeast Asia politics and international relations; (4) Southeast Asia traditions and modernization; (5) Ethnological relations and ethnic cultures of Indochina peninsular countries and Yunnan; (6) Economic and technological cooperation between Southeast Asian countries and Yunnan; (7) Modernization and social, environmental and ecological issues in Southeast Asian countries.

    Since its establishment 27 years ago, the institute has completed several hundred research projects. According to preliminary statistics, the institute has published more than 40 books, more than 2,000 theses, translations and essays. Of which, more than 100 were published on national class A or class B periodicals such as “China Social Sciences”, “History Studies”, “World History”, “China Border Areas History and Geography Research Report”, “World Economy”, “World Economy and Politics”, “Historic Study on Overseas Chinese”, “Modern International Relations”, “South Asia Studies”, “Current Asia-Pacific Region”, etc., and more than 50 were published on important periodicals outside Yunnan and about 40 were published or reprinted on international periodicals. Moreover, policy recommendations of dozens of research reports have been accepted by the central and provincial governments, providing support to their decision-making and contributing to the social development and economic construction of Yunnan province and China as a whole.

Academic Achievements and Social Influence

Since the institute was formally established 27 years ago, many academic achievements and research breakthroughs have been made in some important research areas, bringing about favorable social influence.

1.Breakthroughs made in the research on ethnological composition of the Nan Zhao regime and the origin of Thai people resulted in great repercussions both at home and abroad, especially in Thailand;

2.In the field of history studies of Southeast Asia, a great variety of achievements have been made, filling some voids of research areas. For example, a series of publications on country-specific histories and regional histories had been published, including “Burma History”, “Laos History”, “Cultural History of the Southeast Asia”, “Historical Development of the Southeast Asia since WWII”, and so on.

3.Great breakthroughs had been made in the research on the political and economic situations of contemporary Southeast Asian countries. Two series of books were published. One is the “Contemporary Southeast Asia Series”, which was published by the Sichuan People’s Publishing House in 1992 and includes 11 volumes of book; the other is the “Contemporary Southeast Asian Economies”, which was published by the Yunnan University Publishing House in 1996. The two series of books have become important references in the circle of Southeast Asian studies in China. In addition, from 2000 on, the institute has edited and published “The Southeast Asia Report”(part of the Yunnan blue-book series) and so far seven reports have been published.

4.In the areas of regional cooperation and international relations in the Southeast Asia, some initiative work has been done. Publications in this field include “The Southeast Asia and China Walking into the 21st Century”, “From ASEAN to Greater ASEAN—Research on ASEAN’s 30-year Development”, “ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Region in 21st Century—The Development Trend of ASEAN and Its Impact on the Asia-Pacific Region”, “ASEAN and China in between the Old and New Century”, “ASEAN Science and Technology Development and International Science and Technology Cooperation”, etc.

5.In the field of ethnology research, new achievements have been continuous made. Main publications include “Cross-border Ethnic Peoples in Southwest China and Southeast Asia”, “Nationalities in Indochina Peninsular”, “Inspirations and Choices—Ethnic Issues in Neighboring Countries and Yunnan’s Opening-up”,etc. In addition, the institute has also done a lot of research on the sub-regional cooperation between Yunnan and Southeast Asia, on drug eradication and drug prohibition and on other issues. Many of these research results have caught provincial even nation-wide attention.

Academic Exchanges and Activities

   Since its establishment, the institute has paid more than 30 group academic visits to Thailand, Australia, Singapore, Japan, America, France, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, India and other countries. The total number of visits to abroad reaches for more than 100 person-time, and the number of participations in international academic conferences held both at home and abroad is over 80 person-time. Meanwhile, the institute has received several hundred scholars from over 30 countries.

   So far, the institute has established data exchange relations with more than 10 research institutes and libraries in America, France, Thailand and Singapore. Two research cooperation projects with the Institute of Asia Studies in Chulalongkorn University had been carried out.

    From May 11-13, 1990, the institute successfully played the host of the Fourth International Conference on Thai Studies, which received over 450 scholars (including 250 foreign scholars) from 21 countries and regions.

Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia Issue 10 (August 2008)