{"id":81128,"date":"2026-05-24T20:24:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T03:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=81128"},"modified":"2026-05-24T22:51:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T05:51:49","slug":"oycf-annual-meeting-reflects-on-35-years-of-chinas-one-child-policy-through-intergenerational-academic-dialogue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=81128","title":{"rendered":"OYCF Annual Meeting Reflects on 35 Years of China\u2019s One-Child Policy Through Intergenerational Academic Dialogue"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LAPost\/Irvine, California (May 24, 2026)<\/strong> \u2014 The 2026 Overseas Young Chinese Forum (OYCF) Annual Meeting, co-hosted by the Overseas Young Chinese Forum and the University of California, Irvine Long U.S.-China Institute<\/span><\/span>, was held May 23 in Irvine, California.<\/span><\/p>\n

Centered on the theme \u201cHistory, Politics and Policy: Chinese One-Child Policy 35 Years,\u201d the conference brought together scholars, media professionals, and young researchers from the United States, China, and beyond. Through four panel discussions, participants revisited one of the most consequential public policies in modern Chinese history from perspectives including history, demography, sociology, gender studies, media, and overseas academic experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Panel 1. History, Politics, and Policy: The Making and Unmaking of China\u2019s One-Child
Policy\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

The opening panel, \u201cHistory, Politics, and Policy: The Making and Unmaking of China\u2019s One-Child Policy,\u201d focused on what has been regarded as one of the largest social engineering experiments of the twentieth century. WANG Feng<\/span><\/span>, distinguished professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine; CAI Yong<\/span><\/span>, associate professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and MAO Zhuoyan<\/span><\/span>, professor and director of the Population and Family Economics Research Center at Capital University of Economics and Business, discussed how the one-child policy began, how it eventually ended, and the policy struggles that unfolded over 35 years across five generations of Chinese leadership. They also emphasized the repeated joint efforts made by scholars and government policymakers throughout the process.<\/p>\n

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WANG Feng, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of California, Irvine\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

The three speakers noted that the one-child policy was initially framed as \u201ca sacrifice by one generation for the future of the nation,\u201d but as the policy persisted for decades, issues such as declining birth rates, population aging, and imbalances in family structure have become major challenges Chinese society must now confront.<\/span><\/p>\n

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SU Yang, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Irvine\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

SU Yang<\/span><\/span>, professor of sociology at UC Irvine and moderator of the session, said he had attended OYCF annual meetings for more than 20 years and described this year\u2019s gathering as the largest, youngest, and most well-attended in the forum\u2019s history.<\/span><\/p>\n

He attributed the strong turnout not only to the forum\u2019s increasingly mature organization, but also to the prominence of the scholars participating in this year\u2019s discussions. \u201cThe experts discussing the evolution of the one-child policy today \u2014 including Professor Gu Baochang, who could not attend in person \u2014 are essentially the \u2018all-star team\u2019 of China population studies,\u201d Su said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Su also reflected on the sense of \u201cpowerlessness\u201d often felt by social scientists. \u201cResearchers studying earthquakes feel helpless when disasters occur. Scholars working on war or international relations may lose sleep watching conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the story we heard today about the one-child policy is a rare and deeply inspiring example in the social sciences. These scholars truly used their research to influence social policy and even alter the course of history.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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State of OYCF Report & OYCF-Stilwell Fellowship Announcement\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

During the \u201cOYCF Annual Report & Stilwell Fellowship Announcement\u201d session, organizers reviewed the forum\u2019s progress over the past year in youth academic exchange, fieldwork support, and inter-university collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n

MA Junling<\/span><\/span>, chair of OYCF, said the organization has worked since 1999 to provide a platform for scholars, students, and professionals in the humanities and social sciences who are interested in China\u2019s development. \u201cAnnual meetings like today\u2019s are exactly the kind of event we hope to continue building for the long term,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ma explained that in addition to organizing annual conferences, OYCF continues to fund field research projects in China for graduate students and young scholars. Since 2024, the organization has also launched the Stilwell Scholarship to support projects related to China studies. OYCF has additionally begun funding student organizations and China-related academic activities on university campuses.<\/span><\/p>\n

She also reflected on OYCF\u2019s long history of collaboration with American universities. The forum first partnered with University of California, Irvine<\/span><\/span> in 2006 and returned to Irvine this year for another joint conference with UC Irvine, which she described as particularly meaningful.<\/span><\/p>\n

HUANG Kaimeng<\/span><\/span>, the inaugural recipient of the 1995 Stilwell Scholarship, shared reflections on his experience studying in the United States and encouraged younger scholars to maintain independent thinking and cross-cultural engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Susan Cole\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

Susan Mai Easterbrook Cole<\/span><\/span>, great-granddaughter of World War II General Joseph Stilwell<\/span><\/span>, also attended the conference and delivered remarks. She said the Stilwell family\u2019s multi-generational connection with China reflects not only family history, but also enduring mutual understanding and friendship between people. The forum also announced the newest recipients of the Stilwell Scholarship.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Panel 2. Echoes from the Field: OYCF China Fieldwork Sharing Session\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

The second panel, \u201cEchoes from the Field: OYCF China Fieldwork Sharing Session,\u201d focused on fieldwork experiences by young scholars conducting research in China. ZHAN Mei<\/span><\/span>, associate professor of anthropology at UC Irvine, along with two doctoral candidates from University of California, San Diego<\/span><\/span>, shared firsthand accounts of conducting social investigations, community observations, and grassroots research in China. The speakers also discussed the new challenges facing overseas scholars studying China amid changing geopolitical conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Panel 3. Forty Years Abroad: The Evolving Experience of Overseas Chinese Scholars (Photo provided by OCYF)<\/p><\/div>\n

In the afternoon, the panel \u201cForty Years Abroad: The Evolving Experience of Overseas Chinese Scholars\u201d explored the experiences of Chinese students pursuing doctoral studies overseas since China\u2019s Reform and Opening-Up era. Professors and younger scholars from different generations discussed how shifting historical conditions shaped different waves of international students, and how they navigated cultural shocks, academic pressures, and questions of identity while reconstructing their intellectual and personal values abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Participants noted that although the overseas experiences of Chinese students have changed significantly over the past four decades, the pursuit of knowledge, international exchange, personal growth, and community engagement has remained constant. They also emphasized that communities such as OYCF provide especially valuable spaces for intellectual dialogue and mutual support.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Panel 4. The Movers for Changing the One Child Policy: Feminists, All-China Women\u2019s
Federation, Transnational Academia and Media (Photo provided by OCYF)<\/p><\/div>\n

The final panel, \u201cThe Movers for Changing the One-Child Policy: Feminists, All-China Women\u2019s Federation, Transnational Academia and Media,\u201d examined the diverse forces behind the evolution of China\u2019s population policies. Speakers discussed how feminists, women\u2019s organizations, academics, and media professionals collectively contributed to policy changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

A recurring theme throughout the panel was \u201cwomen supporting women.\u201d Discussions also addressed transnational exchanges, feminism within state institutions, and how the rise of educated women \u2014 especially only daughters born under the one-child policy \u2014 created new possibilities for female agency, autonomy, and diversified social roles.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the discussion session, REN Bo<\/span><\/span>, deputy managing editor of Caixin Media and deputy editor-in-chief of Caixin.com, spoke as a media representative. She said she was honored to participate in a forum with such significant public value.<\/span><\/p>\n

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REN Bo\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

Although many scholars modestly emphasized the \u201climited\u201d influence researchers have on policymaking, Ren said she disagreed. \u201cFrom the collective policy recommendations submitted in 2004 to years of continued research and public communication, these scholars consistently worked to bring accurate information to society,\u201d she said. \u201cThe media was fortunate to serve as one of the messengers in that process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ren described the process as an example of a productive cycle linking academic research, policymaking, and public understanding. She also discussed broader questions concerning how the boundaries between public and private spheres are defined and who has the authority to define them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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WANG Zheng, Professor Emerita of Women\u2019s and Gender Studies and History,
University of Michigan (Photo provided by OCYF)<\/p><\/div>\n

WANG Zheng<\/span><\/span>, professor emerita of women\u2019s and gender studies and history at the University of Michigan, noted that changes to the one-child policy did not come solely from internal government decision-making. Rather, she argued, policy evolution emerged gradually through long-term social discussions, academic research, and public communication. Mao Zhuoyan also discussed China\u2019s continued low birth rate after the end of the one-child policy from a gender perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n

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(Photo provided by OCYF)<\/p><\/div>\n

The conference, co-hosted by OYCF and the UC Irvine Long U.S.-China Institute, attracted more than 100 professors, scholars, and doctoral students from across the United States. Organizers said they hope continued interdisciplinary dialogue and public discussion will help create a more open intellectual platform for overseas Chinese scholars while fostering deeper and more nuanced understanding of Chinese society and U.S.-China relations.<\/span><\/p>\n

(By: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/span><\/p>\n

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CAI Yong, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

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MAO Zhuoyan, Professor at the School of Labor Economics, Capital University of Economics and Business; Director of the Population and Family Economics Research Center\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

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LONG Yan, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley (Photo provided by OCYF)<\/p><\/div>\n

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(Photo provided by OCYF)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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