Author of Deng's biography awarded on China studies

SHANGHAI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Ezra Vogel, author of "Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China," was honored on Saturday as an outstanding contributor to China studies together with two other renowned researchers.

Vogel's book on Deng was first published in English in 2011 and in simplified Chinese earlier this year.

Dr. Sergei Leonidovich Tikhvinsky, academician to the Russian Academy of Science and former ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to China, and Dr. Jao Tsung-I, emeritus professor of Chinese language and literature at the Chinese University of Hong Kong were also awarded the honor at the opening session of the fifth World Forum on China Studies.

Initiated in 2004, the biennial forum aims to nurture new views and approaches for China studies while promoting mutual understanding and academic exchanges between Chinese and overseas scholars.

This year's forum, with the theme of "China's Modernization: Road and Prospect," attracted nearly 300 scholars from over 20 countries and regions and is scheduled to run until Sunday.