On April 23-24, 2016, the Academic Symposium on the Sustainable Development and Middle Class in Metropolitan Cities of the BRICS Nations was ceremoniously held at Shanghai University. The symposium was jointly sponsored by Shanghai Academy and the Institute of Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and organized by the School of Sociology and Political Science of Shanghai University.

Li Peilin, Vice President and member of the Leading Party Group of CASS and President of Shanghai Academy, addressed the opening ceremony and gave an academic report themed on “Building an Olive-shaped Society - Analysis on China’s Income Distribution Structure and Development Trend”, put forward the income distribution object of China in 2020, and pointed out that China’s middle-income groups will become the mainstream groups in China.

Academic discussions were organized by centering on topics including “Social and Economic Growth Prospects of BRICS”, “Economic Behavior of Middle-income Groups in BRICS”, “Urban and Social Governance and Social Policy of BRICS”, “Urban Sustainable Development of BRICS”, along with an in-depth exchange on the social and economic growth experience of BRICS member countries. In the meanwhile, by focusing on the issues and development concepts of modern China, the event aims to be a sounding board for thoughts and policy suggestions for the development of domestic super-large cities, whilst actively promoting academic cooperation among scholars from BRICS member countries

Chen Guangjin, Director of Institute of Sociology of CASS, Wen Xueguo, Executive Vice President of Shanghai Academy, Zhang Yi, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee and Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology of CASS, Zhao Kebin, Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology of CASS, and Zhang Wenhong, Dean of the School of Sociology and Political Science of Shanghai University, were present at the symposium. More than 20 foreign scholars from Brazil, Russia, South Africa, France, the United States and Finland, and over 30 experts and scholars from more than 10 domestically famous research institutions and universities, including CASS, Tsinghua University, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology attended the symposium.

(By Shi Leilei, Xiang Jinmei Photo by Hou Chong)