A new World Association of Chinese Studies was founded in Beijing in September 2016. Its inaugural ceremony, led by Gong Pengcheng, the Taipei-born scholar of classical Chinese literature based at Beida, was broadcast live to 36 countries. Former CCP CC General Secretary Hu Yaobang's son, Hu Deping is its Honorary Chairman. The organization will launch its first conference in Germany in August this year, in cooperation with the German China Association.