Russian Association of Sinologists
orians, economists, philosophers, sociologists, lawyers, political scientists, and specialists in the comprehensive study of Chinese civilization. The first official public organization of sinologists was established in 1982 under the name the Association of Sinologists of the USSR, uniting members from the various soviet republics. After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 after which the former soviet republics became independent states, the association in was renamed in 1992.
By NINA DEMIDO
Although the purpose of the RAS is to co-ordinate and stimulate the activity of sinologists of Russia, the association also does its best to maintain ties with sinologists from the former soviet republics. The main research and educational centres for Chinese Studies are now located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and some cities of Siberia and the Far East: Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Chita, and Irkutsk. The major body of the association is the Institute of Far Eastern Studies, located in Moscow. It is the main participant in the association and plays a very important role in all activities, arranged by the association.The main decision-making organ of the RAS is the congress of members. In a period between congresses, the RAS is governed by an executive committee and a bureau elected by this committee. The present bureau is headed by the president of the Russian Association of Sinologists, Academician V.S. Myasnikov, the honorary president, Academician S.L. Tikhvinsky, the vice-president correspondent member of Russian Academy of Sciences M.L. Titarenko, as well as other members of the bureau and the executive secretary of the association.
Russian sinologists have always kept close contact and maintained exchanges with their colleagues in many countries all over the world. The RAS is an active member of the European Association of Chinese Studies (EACS). RAS members have participated in many international conferences arranged by the EACS. Now it has been decided to hold the 14th EACS Conference in Moscow in 2002.
The Russian Association of Sinologists maintains permanent ties with the Chinese Association of Russian Studies and the Chinese Association for International Understanding. The RAS and the Institute of Far Eastern Studies regularly receive delegations of scholars and research trainees from China. Since the beginning of the 1990s we have also initiated contacts with scholars in Taiwan.
The Russian Association of Sinologists is taking an active part in the preparation of annual international conferences 'China, Chinese Civilization and the World', arranged by the Institute of Far Eastern Studies. This year the 10th Conference will be held on September, 22-24 under the name 'China on the Way of Modernization and Reforms'. *
Recent books published in Russia:
Stepanova, Galina.
SISTEMA MNOGOPARTIYNOGO SOTRUDNICHESTVA V KITAISKOY NARODNOY RESPUBLIKE
(The System of Multi-Party Co-operation in the People's Republic of China). In Russian. Moscow, 1999. 212 pp.
ISBN 5-8381-0002-8.
VKP(b), Komintern i Kitai.
DOCUMENTY. 19271931
(The Soviet Communist Party of Bolsheviks, Comintern, and China. Documents.1927-1931). Vol. III
(parts 1 and 2). In Russian. Moscow, 1999. 1598 pp. ISBN 5-85603-075-3.
Mirovitskaya, Raisa.
CHINESE STATEHOOD AND SOVIET POLICY IN CHINA. THE PERIOD OF PACIFIC WAR: 19411945
In Russian. Moscow, 1999.
312 pp. ISBN 5-88451-078-0. With an English summary.
Mamaeva, Nataliya.
THE COMINTERN AND THE KUOMINTANG. 19191929
In Russian. Moscow, 1999. 376 pp. ISBN 5-8243-0058-5. The research was prepared on the most extensive source basis archives: the Russian Centre for Study of Documents of Contemporary History of China, the Russian State Military Archives, the collected documents 'VCP(b), Comintern and the National-Revolutionary Movement in China', a number of documentary collections on the history of the Kuomintang, published in China in the second half of 1980s. With an English summary.
Portyakov, Vladimir.
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: ECONOMIC POLICY OF THE 1990S
In English. Moscow, 1999. 182 pp. (The papers by Dr V. Portyakov collected in this were published in 'The Far Eastern Affairs' magazine or presented at various international conferences on China issues. The contents of the papers encompass different aspects of China's economic policy of the nineties.)
Dr Nina Demido is Executive Secretary of the Russian Association of Sinologists.
She can be reached at ifes@cemi.rssi.ru