Tulips, windmills, cows, dams, red light districts and marijuana – a collage of different cultural symbols that make the Netherlands both real and fantastical.
The Netherlands, located in Western Europe, is a small country with a land area of 41,547 square kilometers and a population of about 16 million. However, it has a long democratic tradition, is a pioneer in the history of modern Western trade and economy, has made remarkable achievements in the fields of natural and social sciences, and plays a significant role in the global political, economic and cultural landscape.
“Belt and Road”; Open and Inclusive
The Netherlands is located at the crossroads of the overland and maritime Silk Roads, and has played and still plays an important role in the international economy, science and technology, politics, culture, art, etc. Against the background of the national development strategy of the Belt and Road Initiative, the importance of cultural soft power has become increasingly prominent, and cultural GDP is becoming a core indicator of a country's sustainable development and inclusive growth. The historical and practical experience of the Netherlands is of reference value in the "going out" of Chinese culture, the establishment of China’s cultural self-confidence, and the planning and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Economic Zone.
Located at the forefront of China's reform and opening up, Shenzhen University is the central hub of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic Zone and occupies a strategic position as the bridgehead of the maritime Silk Road. Known as a "Special Administrative Region University, Window University and Experimental University", Shenzhen University has special advantages in terms of location and resources for country and regional studies. Many professors of Shenzhen University have studied and worked in the Netherlands. They graduated from Leiden University, Delft University, Groningen University, Utrecht University, Amsterdam University and other world-renowned universities. The Department of Sinology in Leiden University has a long history and great strength, and possesses the largest Chinese library in Europe, comparable to the University of Hong Kong in its research on the politics, economy and culture of the Greater China Area. These scholars have maintained close ties with the Dutch academic community for a long time, laying a solid foundation for cultural exchange, academic exchange and research cooperation between China and the Netherlands.
A Focus on the Netherlands with International Perspective
Based in Shenzhen – the hub of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic Zone, and with a focus on the Netherlands from an international perspective, the Netherlands Studies Center will make full use of its wealth of talents and expertise, integrate and optimize existing academic resources in Dutch literature, history, philosophy, law, economics and language teaching, promote interdisciplinary synergistic development, and foster emerging cross-disciplinary cooperation. Focusing on the two central tasks of social services and advisory services, it will expand the scope of country-specific and regional studies to related and similar fields from within the university to outside and from home to abroad, seek new perspectives, new concepts and new methods, and promote the utilization and transformation of achievements. It builds a Sino-Dutch academic team to carry out two-way communication and in-depth cooperation in linguistics, literature, sociology, law, urban governance and other fields.
The Netherlands Studies Center at Shenzhen University consists of four sections: the Advisory Board, the Academic Committee, part-time researchers and invited researchers. The Center conducts research on the Netherlands from four major directions: Dutch governance studies, Dutch sinology studies, Sino-Dutch comparative studies of language and culture, and the Belt and Road Initiative and Sino-Dutch diplomacy. The research team has diverse academic backgrounds, a wide coverage of research fields, a good foundation for interdisciplinary collaborative development, a good mix of upcoming and experienced researchers and outstanding overall research strength. At the same time, the Center has built up a strong team of advisors, hiring Chinese and Dutch government officials and famous scholars to serve as the Center's administrative and academic advisors. The Center has hired a group of “Dutch generalists” who have been living and working in the Netherlands for a long time as special researchers, who are well connected internally and externally, and who are able to follow and grasp major events in Dutch politics, society, culture and economy. In the international development strategy of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, we provide fresh, accurate and timely reports on the state of the country and the people of the Netherlands.
Learn from Each Other, Benefit and Win-Win
In cooperation with the Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature (NLPVF), the Center has organized and planned the "Two Lions" translation series of Huacheng Publishing House and the "Dutch Culture and Culture Series" of Guangxi Normal University Publishing. Among these, the Chinese translation of Darwins hofvijver won three domestic and international awards: that of Een kleine geschiedenis van Amsterdam was offered as a national gift to the Kingdom of the Netherlands at the Shanghai World Expo.
Originating in the Netherlands, World Press Photo (WPP) is the largest and most prestigious photojournalism competition in the world, and has been held for 60 times so far. Their works have become a witness to the times and history of mankind. Chinese photographers have had a close relationship with WPP for 20 years and have shown many Chinese stories through its lens. The Center will actively promote the exchange of photographic work between the two countries on this basis, promoting the sharing of Chinese and Dutch culture and art.
The Center actively promotes Sino-Dutch friendly cultural exchange activities. It participated in organizing many governmental exchange activities, such as the delegation of the Mayor of Almere – a sister city of Shenzhen, the high-level business delegation of Dutch Prime Minister Rutte, the business delegation of the Mayor of Amsterdam, the delegation of the Governor of Utrecht – a sister province of Guangdong Province, the delegation of the former Deputy Mayor Hilhorst of The Hague, etc. It also participated in the organization of many cultural exchange activities, such as the activities of the guest country for the Netherlands at the Beijing International Book Fair in 2011 and the "Dutch Literature in China Week" of the 2014 Southern Literature Festival, laying a solid foundation for mutual understanding and mutual appreciation, creating mutual benefit between China and the Netherlands.
In the future, the Center will continue to improve its information channels: it will establish a database of the Center, set up the Center’s website, open a public WeChat account, reserve books, films and materials, and set up a physical exhibition booth and increase real-time video exchange. The Center will further open academic windows: consolidate research sections on Dutch governance, Dutch sinology, Sino-Dutch comparative studies, the Belt and Road Initiative and Sino-Dutch diplomacy, and establish English journals on Dutch studies by relying on Brill, the world-famous academic publishing house based in Leiden, and edit and publish series of books such as Dutch Sinologists, Dutch Studies Series, Chinese in the Netherlands, and Dutch Social Survey. It will improve its research capacity in solving practical regional problems, improve the ability to participate in major decision-making processes, and actively provide multi-level, multi-form and multi-channel advisory services to party and government agencies at all levels. It will expand cooperation with the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau, the Development Research Center of the State Council, Xinhua News Agency, and Huanqiu to provide the Party and government with constructive, solid consultative reports for their major decisions, and create a consultative hub for governance issues. We will build the international image of the Center by using official media and platforms such as Huanqiu from the People's Daily, hold a series of brand-name cultural and artistic exchange activities, high-end forums and thematic workshops in the humanities and social sciences, constantly promote cooperation and exchange between China and the Netherlands in the fields of culture, education, art, economy, and science and technology. We will make step by step plans, gradual achievements, and build a cultural bridge for Sino-Dutch friendship.
Center Director: Dr. ZHANG Xiaohong
Center Members: Dr. Jeroen van de WEIJER, Dr. WANG Hongyan, Dr. LI Xiaojun, Dr. JIN Nana, Dr. Audrey HEIJNS, Associate Prof. YE Lamei
