The 7th Central Asian Economic and Social Research Forum was held on October 19, 2024, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Professor Wang Hua from SFS delivered a keynote speech titled "The Current Status and Industrial Demands of China–Central Asia Economic and Trade Development."

The forum was hosted by Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (ZUFE), and co-organized by the School of International Education and Studies at ZUFE, the Institute for Central Asia Studies at ZUFE, and the Center for Asia-Europe Studies at XJTU. It aims to advance area studies, support the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and foster academic exchanges on China-Central Asia cooperation in the next "golden 30 years". Alongside the forum is an international symposium on Central Asia studies.

Arslan Koichiev, Advisor to the President of Kyrgyzstan, attended the forum. Scholars from several Central Asian universities, Chinese domestic research institutions, and Chinese media outlets exchanged insights at the forum.

In his speech, Prof. Wang Hua reviewed the progress of China–Central Asia economic and trade cooperation since the BRI was proposed 11 years ago, and analyzed existing challenges and industrial development needs across Central Asian countries. He concluded with suggestions for enhancing future China–Central Asia economic cooperation.

During the forum, participating scholars from XJTU engaged in academic exchanges with their Central Asian counterparts and explored opportunities for future collaborative research and scholarly interaction.