第57回公共政策セミナー

プログラム

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Summary

GraSPP held a joint Public Policy Forum with China's Tsinghua University (SPPM) on May 13th in Kojima Hall, The University of Tokyo Hongo Campus. The Forum was part of a University-wide “Tsinghua Week at Todai,” which seeks to promote academic exchange between students and faculty at both universities.

Opening remarks were given by Dean Kuniaki Tanabe, GraSPP, and Dean Lan Xue, SPPM. The forum was divided into four sections:

1. Urbanization and Political Economy?
2. Innovation Systems
3. Global Governance
4. Educational institutions and regional development

Professor Yoshitsugu Kanemoto from GraSPP gave the closing remarks. A summary of each section follows.

Section 1:
Dr. Shaojie Zhou from SPPM detailed China's rapid trend towards urbanization. Dr. Zhou noted that while the emergence of larger, more populated urban centers continues, we are not seeing a rise in the creation of new cities. This is in stark contrast from the 1980 to 1995 period in which the number of cities grew sharply while their size remained relatively constant. The explanation for this, Dr. Zhou asserts, can be found in the politics of real estate and zoning rights in China, major housing market transformations (1998 privatization), and the introduction of economic incentives for local governments, among other factors. The challenges presented by rapid urbanization are substantial. Dr. Zhou points to two major sources of worry moving forward; people-land tension, and booming housing prices.

Professor Kanemoto served as the discussant and offered perspective drawn from Japan's urbanization experience. He commented on China's fixed number of cities dilemma, and how structures that hinder the creation of new cities can create inefficiency. He pointed to Tokyo as an example of a city that has grown too large, exemplified by its high land value/Pigouvian subsidy ratio compared to other Metropolitan Employment Areas. Professor Kanemoto concluded by highlighting the importance of effectively managing the flow of people and resources during this urbanization period.

Section 2:
Dean Lan Xue from SPPM spoke on China's domestic reform and global integration, with attention paid to the evolution of its innovation system in the last thirty years. He noted how Western media often covers China's progress in innovation with skepticism, denouncing it as a threat or challenge. Dean Xue believes the reason for this is the combination of a lack of understanding of Chinese history and the speed to which it has been developing. Dean Xue detailed the history of China's innovation system, noting the role of universities (and their ability to survive China's tumultuous times) and the seismic social / economic transformations beginning in the late 1970's as key ingredients to China's current S&T research success. The continued growth of China's innovation system holds a myriad of implications, both domestically and internationally. Dean Xue pointed to increased competition (in the scientific research community as well as global market enterprise), methods in which knowledge is dispersed and communicated (given the current domination of English based SCI journals), and challenges to traditional ways of how technology standards are set as major issues to plan for moving forward.

Dr. Masahiro Hashimoto from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry's Trademark, Design and Administrative Affairs Department responded to Dean Xue's presentation by touching on the rise of both the U.S. and Japanese innovation systems. He noted how innovation is progressing at an increasing rate, with 21st century innovation realization far outpacing that of the 19th century. Dr. Hashimoto believes this trend may well continue, and noted the universal need for alternative energy resources as a major driver of future innovation. Private sector, NPO, government, and academic collaboration across boarders will, according to Hashimoto, play a key role in developing the future structure of the innovation arena.

Section 3:
Dr. Yanbing Zhang from SPPM opened the third panel by drawing laughs from the audience: “My colleagues have presented many answers. I however come with many questions.” Speaking on global governance and the changing world order, Dr. Zhang asked forum participants, “Will the G20 replace the G7?” And what are the implications of a failed G20? Dr. Zhang believes that intergovernmental blocs may define the future world order, and that while many scenarios exist under this premise, preparing for an East Asian Community would be prudent. He warned that inconsistent Sino-Japan relations, North Korea and Taiwan-Shanghai instability, and unfavorable outcomes of the EU/Euro framework stemming from the global financial crisis pose substantial hurdles to realization of an EAC. Dr. Zhang ended by wondering allowed, “What is Japan's understanding at the moment?”

GraSPP professor Ryozo Hayashi picked up with Dr. Zhang's final question, suggesting that the G20 is too large to deal with “hard issues.” Professor Hayashi added however that given changes in global power distribution the G7 framework is outdated. He suggested that each serves different aspects of world governance well, with the G7 proving successful in dealing with energy shocks and trade disputes, while exchange rate issues have proven more difficult for it to handle. Looking to the future, Professor Hayashi suggested that with U.S. hegemony waning a recalibration of global governance organizations is in order.

Section 4:
Dr. Yingbo Li from SPPM spoke on the interplay between universities and regional development. She noted that while most people think of universities as places for higher education and research, today they also encompass much more, contributing to a broad range of economic and social functions in their community and touching virtually every aspect of our daily lives. Dr. Li briefly presented Tsinghua University as an example, with its 1,500 yearly cooperation agreements with local enterprises valuing more eight billion yuan. She further developed this university-community symbiotic relationship theory by highlighting Beijing's experience and evolution into one of China's innovation hubs. “Beijing has,” Dr. Li says, “been attracting and gathering high-tech innovative enterprises, forming a geo-spatial innovation cluster.” Through cooperation with this cluster, universities deliver innovation culture, talent, mechanisms, and methods to local businesses and think tanks. This system, according to Dr. Li, enables further innovation by developing the ability of these local enterprises to embark on independent, specialized research. At the same time, “the industry” urges universities to explore timely areas of interest, and imbues “ivory tower” institutions with modern culture and opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration.

Professor Ichiro Sakata from Todai's Graduate School of Technology served as the discussant, and drew on empirical findings from Japan's experience to collaborate much of what Dr. Li had argued. Professor Sakata demonstrated the intricate relationship between universities and industry through visual mediums, presenting a variety of detailed network and cluster graphs. Energy research and the implementation of energy innovation, Professor Sakata said, was one area in which both Japan and China stand to benefit from academic and industry exchange. By tracking internationally co-authored patents, Professor Sakata showed the huge potential for further Japan-China collaboration. He warned, however, that harmonization the rules associated with international university-to-industry collaboration will be an important issue to address moving forward.