Prof. Tao Yitao, director of China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR), Shenzhen University (SZU) and president of the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation and Development (BRRI) was invited to visit her old school Heilongjiang University on June 17, 2021 as an outstanding alumna and the president of Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Alumni Association of the school. Wang Yongqing, Communist Party Secretary of Heilongjiang University, issued an appointment letter to Prof. Tao for the post of visiting professor in Economics at Heilongjiang University. Former president of Heilongjiang University, Prof. He Ying, attended the appointment ceremony along with the former Secretary General of Provincial Party Committee of Heilongjiang Province, the current Director of Cultural and Historical Committee of People’s Congress of Heilongjiang Province, and 1978 distinguished alumni from the Department of Philosophy.
Wang Yongqing issues an appointment letter to Prof. Tao Yitao
Wang Yongqing spoke highly of Prof Tao’s academic achievements and her contributions to Heilongjiang University. He praised that Prof. Tao as Heilongjiang University’s first female graduate who received her PhD in Economics in the late 1980s, one of the first batch of master’s graduates jointly trained by Heilongjiang University and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and also the only Tier-2 liberal arts professor from Heilongjiang University, is the pride of the university. Secretary Wang said, Prof. Tao as president of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Alumni Association, has also made contributions along with other alumni to the 70th anniversary of Heilongjiang University and the building of Heilongjiang University History Museum.
Prof. Tao said, “At Heilongjiang University, I have only one identification, that is, student. Thank my school for giving me the honor. In my opinion, this is more of a responsibility. No matter how far we will go, we shall never forget where we started from. My school is the place where my academic journey starts and also the place that I always care about. As the president of the Alumni Association, I will work with other members of our association to prepare for the upcoming 80th anniversary, and give our best wishes to our school.”
After the appointment ceremony, Prof. Tao accompanied by the director of Campus Office, Yang Yu, visited her former Master supervisor Prof. Liu Hanle. Prof. Liu aged 95 is a prestigious historian of Chinese economic thought and the founder of the discipline of the history of Chinese economic thought. He is one of the first students who have studied under the famous economist Hu Jichuang. Prof. Liu wrote a Chinese calligraphy “As the winter comes, all flowers wither. The plum trees blossomed without fear”, and gave it to Prof. Tao as a gift to encourage her to confront difficulties bravely, just like the plum trees.
Prof. Liu Hanle presents a Chinese calligraphy to Prof. Tao
