The conference on the labor situation and labor studies under globalization in Chinese mainland and China’s Taiwan Region, jointly organized by the Center for China Studies, National Taiwan University, the Graduate Institute for Social Transformation Studies of Shih Hsin University, and the Labor Sociology Professional Committee of the Chinese Sociological Association, was held in Taipei on September 18 and 19, 2010. Experts and scholars from universities and research institutions in Taiwan, including National Taiwan University, Shih Hsin University, National Chengchi University, National Cheng Kung University, National Chung Hsing University, Academia Sinica, National Formosa University, Tunghai University, China University of Labor Relations (CULR), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Beijing Normal University, China University of Political Science and Law, and Capital University of Economics and Business, attended the symposium. The scholars at the symposium examined the changes in the labor systems on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, evaluated specific changes in the labor systems, analyzed the situation of labor relations and labor disputes, delved into labor conditions and labor rights issues, and reviewed and looked ahead to labor studies. The labor systems in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan have many similarities and are both undergoing significant social changes. A common trend is the gradual shift from a government-regulated model to a labor-management negotiation model. Cross-referencing and learning from relevant academic research prove to be very beneficial. Professor Feng Tongqing from the CULR attended and hosted the symposium, delivering a keynote speech titled "The Status of Workers and Labor Studies in Chinese Mainland - Observations and Reflections in the Past 30 Years." He believes that understanding the status of workers in China after the reform and opening up should focus on the intrinsic value of the workers' cognition and behavior, and during the social transformation period, the rational choice is to build a social rights foundation that emphasizes workers' rights mechanisms regulated by the state.

The academic exchanges on the research project on the implementation of Chinese labor law conducted by the Law School of the University of Melbourne were held in Beijing on September 24 and 25, 2010. Experts and scholars from the University of Melbourne, Peking University, Beijing Normal University, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, Anhui University, Nanjing University, Soochow University, Hunan University, and the CULR attended the exchanges. The exchanges aimed to deepen the understanding of various issues in the implementation of Chinese labor law, evaluate the practical effects of relevant laws and policies, and provide constructive suggestions for the improvement of legal and policy implementation. Professor Feng Tongqing from the CULR attended and hosted the exchanges, introducing the evaluation of domestic and foreign researchers on the implementation of the Chinese Labor Contract Law. It is believed that the current construction of Chinese labor law is no longer a question of having laws or not, but rather what kind of laws are needed. Considering the Chinese conditions, labor law requires that state regulation be coordinated with social cooperation while constructing social rights.

(Publicity Department)