On October 28th-30th, 2016, the fifteenth annual meeting of the regional economics discipline construction, the symposium with topic of “serving for national development strategy, starting a new situation of discipline construction” was hold in Beijing. This annual meeting was organized by School of Economics at Renmin University of China, City and Regional Economics Institute at Nankai University, and School of Economics at Lanzhou University. It was also supported by Region and City Economics Institute, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region Synergetic Development Institute, China Economic Geography, and Collaborative Innovation Center for China Economy.

The opening ceremony was hosted by dean of School of Economics at Renmin University of China, Prof. Yu Zhang. Renmin University of China president Prof. Wei Liu, Lanzhou University vice president Prof. Xincai Gao, Nankai University president assistant Prof. Binglian Liu gave presentations, respectively. Prof. Zhengping Shen and Dr. Hongwei Chen joined this meeting.

The meeting conducted a fruitful discussion related to 16 topics with focus on the theme of “serving for national development strategy, starting a new situation of discipline construction”, including: 1. How regional economics serve for national development strategy and start a new situation of discipline construction; 2. Theory and method of regional economics; 3. Teaching reform and talent training; 4. Regional strategy, planning and policy research; 5. Constructing well-off society and targeted poverty alleviation; 6. New-style urbanization and urban-rural integration; 7. Regional industry transfer and development transition; 8. “New normal” and region strategy planning innovation; 9. Green and low carbon, and region sustainable development; 10. Theoretical approach of new economic geography, evolutionary economic geography, and regional economics; 11. Synergic development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, Yangtze River Economic Belt, and “One Belt & One Road” strategy; 12. Theory and approach for evaluating regional development strategy planning; 13. The trend of regional pattern change and challenge in synergic development during 13th Five Year; 14. “Internet plus” and innovation of regional development strategy; 15. The construction of mega-city region, and world class city cluster; 16. Spatial analysis, spatial econometrics, and their application in regional economics.

More than ten experts from state council, institutes, and universities gave keynote speeches and presentations. According to the schedule, Prof. Zhengping Shen hosted the symposium with the topic of “regional city cluster development and new urbanization”, and gave a presentation with the topic of “The study on integrative development of riverside cities in Jiangsu”.