More than 50 experts from Asia gathered in Seoul for a two-day symposium aimed at discussing prospects of China's future development.

Sponsored by the Organizing Committee of the World Forum on China Studies, co-organized by Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and Asiatic Research Institute of Korea University, the East Asian Symposium of the World Forum on China Studies kicked off in Seoul.

Experts from China, South Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Singapore and Malaysia will join four panels in the East Asian Symposium of the World Forum on China Studies to discuss prospects of China's economic development, prospects of China's political and social development, rebirth of cultural and historical values in China as well as future of China's interactions with the world.

Li Yang, former vice-president of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, chairman of National Institution for Finance and Development of China, told the opening ceremony that after experiencing slower speed increase, China's economy is becoming steady gradually, and going forward along the road of optimized structure, medium and high speed growth, improved benefit quality, friendly environment and improving people's livelihood.

"The steadier development of China's economy will offer more contribution to the global economy," he added.

Lee Jong-Wha, director of Asiatic Research Institute of Korea University, talked about China's economic growth and convergence.

He pointed out that there are nine challenges to Chinese development model and suggested the Chinese Government should upgrade human resources, stimulate technological innovation and industrial upgrading, remove structural bottlenecks and rebalance sources of growth to sustain China's economic growth.

Mori Kazuko, emeritus professor of Waseda University of Japan, introduced China studies in Japan.

She said there are around 1,500 researchers doing contemporary China studies in Japan adding that it can be argued that Japan stands at the forefront of global China studies in the fields of history and economy.

She hoped that with more Japanese researchers' involvement in China studies, Japanese people could deepen understanding about China and Sino-Japan relations could be strengthened.

Founded in 2004, the forum has served as a platform for distinguished scholars to explore the past, present and future of China studies.

The East Asian symposium is the second overseas symposium after the forum successfully held its first overseas symposium in New York and Atlanta in May 2015.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2016)