The fifth LSE Asia Forum, entitled “China and the World: the Challenges of Change”, took place in Beijing on 25-26 March 2010 with the support of the China Institute of International Studies |(CIIS). The Forum addressed a wide range of issues of deep interest to policymakers and wider society, under a general theme relating to the recent challenges and changes that have affected the global economy. 

Howard Davies, LSE Director, expressed his delights that the Forum took place in Beijing during a turbulent period for the world economy. Chinese Foreign Minister, His Excellency Mr Yang Jiechi, delivered the Keynote Speech. He emphasised that non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, food security, energy security and public health security have become more acute; and hence he called for joint efforts among countries in the international society to achieve world peace and development. He said that ‘Global challenges call for a global response, and no one should stay indifferent’.

The forum also had a Plenary Session on Climate Change and Economic Growth, chaired by Zhu Min, Deputy Governor, The People's Bank of China. Professor Lord Nicholas Stern of Brentford, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, LSE delivered a speech; which was responded by Vice Minister Liu He, Office of the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs. The Session emphasized that a low-carbon economy is the only sustainable route to growth; any attempt at high-carbon growth will choke and die, not only due to high prices of hydrocarbons, but also, more fundamentally, due to the very hostile physical environment it will create.

For more detailed information see LSE Asia Forum 2010 at http://www2.lse.ac.uk/LSEAsiaForum/AsiaForum2010/Home.aspx