Geographical Science in PRC: History and Recent Developments

The article is an overview of the history of development and the current state of geographical science in China. The relevance of the work relates to the ongoing reorientation of Russia’s international scientific relations under the influence of the geopolitical crisis. Over the past decades, Chinese geography as a branch of knowledge has gone through a significant transformation, closely related to the dynamics of the country’s development. China’s outstripping economic growth in recent decades has been accompanied by significant government investments in strengthening the national scientific and educational system. This made it possible to strengthen the material and technical base and create a personnel and organizational reserve for internationalization. In modern China, there are such sections of geography as complex, physical, social, and informational. Topics related to climate, human settlement, the study of loess, mountainous and arid regions, urbanization, urban and regional planning, and industrial clusters are popular. The main feature of Chinese geographical research is the widespread use of quantitative and remote research methods, including in the study of social and international problems. Chinese geographers have made significant progress in studying the evolution of the environment in the Quaternary period using loess and glacial data, studying the East Asian atmospheric circulation, and zoning the territory, including carrying out functional zoning. However, local experts are alarmed by the growing divergence of various branches of geography, the lack of comprehensive and theoretical research. The article also provides background information about the main geographical organizations, journals, and scientists. The center of geographical science is Beijing, where the head institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is located, as well as two leading geographical faculties. In addition to the capital, the cities of Nanjing, Lanzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. stand out. Geographical specialties are taught at 44 universities in China. There are 12 geographical research institutes operating in the country, seven of them are part of the CAS system. A unified network of field stations has also been created. Number of geographical journals more than 20, including several English-language ones. The department of earth sciences of the CAS includes 138 academicians, of which 10+ are geographers. The Geographical Society of China plays a major role with 30+ subdivisions and regional-level commissions at every Chinese province.

1. Agirrechu A.A., Mironenko K.V. Economic and geographical study of China in the Russian geographical literature. Izv. RGO, 2019, no. 3, pp. 73–93. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31857/S0869-6071151373-93

2. Chubarov I.G. State-level regional development programs in China. Vostoch. Aziya: Fakty Analitika, 2020, no. 4, pp. 21–33. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.24411/2686-7702-2020-10022

3. Chubarov I.G. Group training sessions for senior officials is an authentic element of the Chinese political system. In Kitai v god provedeniya XX s’’ezda KPK [China in the Year of the 20th CPC Congress]. Мoscow: IKSA RAN, 2022, pp. 35–46. (In Russ.).

4. Chubarov I.G. Chinese Urban Development under the “New Type Urbanization” Policy. Probl. Dal’n. Vostoka, 2022, no. 1, pp. 139–148. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31857/S013128120017798-8

5. Fahu Ch., Xin L., Shaohong W., et al. Disciplinary structure of geographic science in China. Acta Geogr. Sin., 2021, vol. 76, no. 9, pp. 2069–2073. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb202109001

6. Fahu Ch., Bojie F., Jun X., et al. Major advances in studies of the physical geography and living environment of China during the past 70 years and future prospects. Sci. China Earth Sci., 2019, vol. 49, no. 11, pp. 1665– 1701. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-019-9522-7

7. Fahu Ch., Shaohong W., Hongyan L., et al. Disciplinary structure and development strategy of physical geography in China. Acta Geogr. Sin., 2021, vol. 76, no. 9. pp. 2074–2082. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb202109002

8. Fan Jie, et al. How Chinese Human Geographers Influence Decision Makers and Society. Beijing: The Commercial Press, 2016.

9. Jie F. The progress and characteristics of Chinese human geography over the past 70 years. Sci. China Earth Sci., 2019, vol. 49, no. 11, pp. 1697–1719. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.1360/SSTe-2019-0213

10. Jie F., Pengjun Zh., Shangyi Zh., et al. Disciplinary structure and development strategy of human geography in China. Acta Geogr. Sin., 2021, vol. 76, no. 9, pp. 2083– 2093. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb202109003

11. Krol Yu.L. Geographical treatise “History of Han”. In Problemy geografii i vneshnei politiki v “Istorii Khan’” Ban’ Gu: issledovaniya i perevody [Problems of Geography and Foreign Policy in the “History of Han” by Ban Gu: Researches and Translations]. Bogolyubov M.N., Ed. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura Publ., 2005, pp.7–54. (In Russ.).

12. Li X., Linwang Yu., Tao P., et al. Disciplinary structure and development strategy of information geography in China. Acta Geogr. Sin., 2021, vol. 76, no. 9, pp. 2094– 2103. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb202109004

13. Nvlan Zh. On Yu Gong chapter of Shanghu. In 11-ya nauch. konf. “Obshchestvo i gosudarstvo v Kitae”. Tezisy i doklady. Chast’ 1. [The 11th Sci. Conf. “Society and the State in China”. Abstracts and Reports. Part 1]. Moscow: Inst. Vostokovedeniya RAN, 1980, pp. 54– 60. (In Russ.).

14. Samburova E.N. China. In Universitetskaya geografiya v sovremennom mire [University Geography in the Mod ern World]. Naumov A.S., Ed. Moscow: Buki Vedi Publ., 2016, pp. 236–244. (In Russ.).

15. Shugurov M.V., Serebryakov A.A., Pechatnov Yu.V. International research cooperation of Russia in the context of scaling sanctions: characteristics of institutional gaps. Mezhdun. Zh. Guman. Estestv. Nauk, 2022, no. 4–3, pp. 235–244. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.24412/2500-1000-2022-4-3-235-244

16. Weidong L., Zhi Zh. Internationalization of Chinese Economic Geography. Econ. Geogr., 2021, vol. 41, no. 10, pp. 24–32. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki.jjdl.2021.10.003

17. Yungang L., Dao W. Review and prospects of political geography in China. Acta Geogr. Sin., 2022, vol. 77, no. 6, pp. 1506–1517. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb202206014

18. Yungang L., Dadao L., Jigang B., et al. How to revive geography: our reflection and practice. Geogr. Res., 2018, vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 1049–1069. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11821/dlyj201806001