East Asia

East Asia and China attracts more and more interest by the Norwegian society and business life, as this region is pointing the highest economic growth rate in the world. China's recent entry in to the World Trade Organization will most probably increase the rapid changes of the Chinese economy and society.

Fafo's activities in the region started in 1994 and have focused on the urban-rural relations and the development of the new labour market. Fafo has established a partnership with the National Research Institute for Science and Technology for Development (NRCSTD) in Beijing. The NRCSTD is the research center for the Ministry of Science and Technology and has as its mission to implement research and documentation projects of relevance for the development of policy. The agreement between Fafo and NRCSTD was renewed in February 2000, with a view to also cooperate in applied research more broadly in the region. In 2001, the first cooperation on a survey project in China was completed. At the same time, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave a positive answer to the Chinese request for financing a mapping of living conditions in the Western Regions of China.

In 1994 Fafo participated in establishing an academic cooperation agreement between Tibetan and Norwegian Universities. This agreement led to the establishment of the Network for University Cooperation Tibet-Norway.

Fafo has its regional office in Beijing.

Projects

• Technological and institutional innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises in Western China (2004-2006)
• Occupational Mobility and Migration in China (1996-2001)
• Evaluation of The Norwegian Mixed Credits Programme (1999-2000)
• Living Conditions in the Western Provinces of China (2001-2004)
• Social and Economic Conditions in East Timor (1999)
• Capacity Building in Applied Social Science Research in Tibet
• Agricultural Dynamics in Areas under Urban Influence in South-East Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia): Competition over Resources and Creation of New Markets around Secondary Cities (2001-)

Contacts

Jon Pedersen

Kristin Dalen

Huafeng Zhang