Regional and country studies, as an emerging interdisciplinary field in China, are a reflection of the strengthening of national strength and the academic standards of world powers. As China approaches the goal of national rejuvenation and the demand for understanding the world increases, regional studies will become a first level discipline in September 2022. Academic journals play a role in exchanging achievements, leading directions, and supporting talent growth in disciplinary construction. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the current development status of journals, analyze problems, and explore solutions.

New Developments in Regional Studies Journals

Discussed the new development of domestic journal construction after regional studies became a first level discipline. The main changes include: firstly, an increase in the number of academic journals named "regional and national", most of which are collections, reflecting the development of disciplines and national strategic needs; Secondly, foreign language publications assist in regional and national studies by setting up columns and other means, responding to disciplinary adjustments and inclusion in first level disciplinary catalogs; Thirdly, some publications have begun to transform and publish field research articles, reflecting the practicality and practicality of regional studies; Fourthly, the academic community explores and promotes the construction of a regional and national academic journal system through holding high-level forums for journal editors, issuing initiatives to increase the number of selected regional and national research journals, and listing regional and national academic journals separately.

Two remaining issues

Four main issues faced by Chinese regional studies journals were discussed. Firstly, despite the large number of publications, there is a lack of overall recognition of regional and national academic journals, making it difficult to count the specific number. Secondly, there is a shortage of publications targeting specific regions, countries, or problem areas, resulting in duplicate publications and resource waste. Thirdly, research in small and medium-sized countries and niche fields is not valued under the evaluation system of academic journals, which affects the healthy development of academia. Finally, the traditional disciplinary classification method limits the role of journals in leading disciplinary innovation and promoting the growth of academic talents, ignoring the characteristics of interdisciplinary fields. These issues hinder the development of regional academic journals and require attention and resolution.

Three Development Paths

Explored the development path of regional studies journals and emphasized the importance of academic journals in the construction of regional studies disciplines. Five main development strategies have been proposed: firstly, the publication should contribute to the construction of regional and country studies with Chinese characteristics, emphasizing the construction of a Chinese perspective and independent knowledge system; Secondly, journals should play an academic evaluation and leading role, focus on problem orientation and the needs of the times, and promote interdisciplinary integration; Thirdly, it is recommended to integrate national research forces, establish professional academic (association) associations, host academic journals, enhance professionalism, and avoid duplicate publications; Fourth, leverage the advantages of collections in showcasing research achievements of small and medium-sized countries, establish standards and norms, and improve the talent evaluation system; Finally, all types of publications should have clear positioning and characteristics, support research in countries of the 'Global South', and provide a platform for showcasing and exchanging these research results. These strategies aim to promote the development of regional academic journals, serve the country's foreign strategy, facilitate international academic exchanges, and support academic innovation and talent cultivation.