Conference on Regulation and Governance Convened in Beijing

The University of Chicago Center in Beijing

20th floor, Culture Plaza
No. 59A Zhong Guan Cun Street
Haidian District Beijing 100872

The Conference on Regulation and Governance was successfully held in Beijing on June 5–6, 2026. The closed-door academic workshop brought together more than thirty scholars, researchers, and graduate students from leading universities and research institutions across China to discuss emerging issues in regulation, public policy, and governance.

The conference was opened by Professor Yang Dali, who welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in understanding contemporary governance challenges. Over the course of two days, scholars exchanged perspectives on a wide range of topics, including state capacity, social governance, public health reform, local government finance, environmental governance, education policy, and technological innovation.

The first session examined the interaction between social change and governance effectiveness. Presentations explored the relationship between social capital and declining fertility intentions in China, the political socialization effects of pandemic control measures, and the implications of health emergency reforms for national governance. Participants engaged in a lively roundtable discussion on state legitimacy, public trust, and crisis management.

The second session focused on grassroots governance and bureaucratic institutions. Speakers analyzed the growing institutionalization of grid-based governance in China and examined the dynamics of chronic crises and bureaucratic dysfunction. Discussions highlighted the evolving role of local governance mechanisms in responding to increasingly complex social and administrative challenges.

The afternoon sessions shifted attention to fiscal governance and sustainable development. Scholars presented research on sovereign debt restructuring and local government debt, the relationship between university campus expansion and urban investment bonds, and the fiscal consequences of unfunded mandates imposed on local governments. Subsequent discussions addressed broader questions of intergovernmental relations, fiscal incentives, and policy implementation.

Environmental governance and social participation formed another major theme of the conference. Presentations investigated the resilience of socio-ecological systems in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei ecological conservation region, the synergistic effects of green finance and technological innovation on ecological industrialization, and the transformation of governance structures within social organizations through Party-building practices. Participants emphasized the growing importance of collaborative governance and cross-sectoral engagement in addressing environmental challenges.

The second day continued with discussions on rural modernization, environmental regulation, and public policy evaluation. Research presented during the morning session examined China's rural transformation from the perspective of a “household-supporting state” and assessed the water-saving and emission-reduction effects of converting water resource fees into taxes. The conference concluded with a panel devoted to science, healthcare, and education policy, including a study of the impact of higher education funding on technological innovation based on provincial panel data.

Throughout the conference, participants engaged in substantive exchanges on theoretical approaches, methodological innovations, and policy implications. The discussions reflected the growing diversity of governance research in China and highlighted the value of interdisciplinary perspectives in understanding contemporary regulatory and governance challenges.

In his closing remarks, Professor Yang Dali noted that effective governance requires not only institutional innovation but also sustained scholarly inquiry. He expressed hope that the conference would further strengthen academic collaboration and contribute to future research on regulation and governance.

The conference concluded at noon on June 6, followed by a closing luncheon. Participants agreed that the workshop provided a valuable platform for intellectual exchange and fostered new opportunities for future cooperation among scholars working in the fields of governance, public policy, and regulation.