On April 29, according to Guangdong Social Sciences Association, Prof. Tao Yitao was shortlisted for the third Outstanding Social Scientist Award of Guangdong province. As director of China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR) of Shenzhen University (SZU) and president of the Belt and Road Research Institute (BRRI), she is the second scholar of SZU who has won this award and the only winner on the list this year. Selecting outstanding social scientists of Guangdong Province is an important move to implement The Outline of Guangdong Province’s Plan to Build a Strong Cultural Province (2011-2020). It aims at fully motivating researchers in philosophy and social sciences and bringing into full play their creativity, rewarding those who have made outstanding contributions to the research of philosophy and social science in Guangdong province, and building a strong theoretical research team to further improve the competitiveness and influence of Guangdong’s philosophy and social science research in China. Initially launched in 2011, this award is held once every four years with the third session falling on the year of 2019. This year, a total of 10 outstanding social scientists from Guangdong Province won the award. Being shortlisted means wide recognition for scholars’ achievements in their respective fields and great contributions that they have made to build Guangdong into a strong cultural province. This is another honor garnered by Prof. Tao following her first prize of the 8th Guangdong Excellent Works Award in Philosophy and Social Science in early 2019.
About Prof. Tao:
Prof. Tao is a senior expert in the research of China’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs). She has been committed to the research on Marxist basic economic theory and classics as well as comparative research of Chinese and Western economic thought theories for over 30 years in her teaching career. Her research fields include political economics, economic history, history of economic thought, and institutional economics. In the past two decades, she has been devoted to the study of the history of China’s Reform and Opening-up, the economic thought history of China’s reform and opening-up, the history of the China SEZ development, the comparison between SEZs in China and those in foreign countries, the free trade zones and bay areas, which helps her win considerable academic clout both in and outside of China. Enjoying the State Council Special Post Allowance, she is the chief expert and project review expert for major projects of the National Social Science Fund, vice president of Guangdong Economics Association, a leading academic talent of Shenzhen municipality, and a leader in the discipline of theoretical economics at SZU. She has made great contributions to spreading the successful experience of China’s SEZs exemplified by Shenzhen, disseminating “SEZs and China’s Path” and providing Chinese solutions for the social and economic development of emerging economies. Her representative papers on the SEZ research: From Special Economic Zones to Free Trade Zones: the Special Mission of China’s Free Trade Zones and Special Economic Zones and the Path Choice of China’s Institutional Change were respectively reproduced by Xinhua Digest and China Social Sciences Digest with much clout in the circle. Respectively in 2011 and 2019, her representative works on the research of China’s SEZs: History of China’s Special Economic Zones and Special Economic Zones and China’s Path” won the first prize of the Outstanding Works on Philosophy and Social Sciences of Guangdong province. Her representative work Study on the History of China’s Special Economic Zones was listed by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the General Administration of Press and Publication of China as one of the 35 key books in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of China’s Reform and Opening-up. This book was selected for China Academic Translation Project of the National Social Science Fund, published globally in English version by Paths International Ltd. based in the UK. In addition, the book reviews written by famous experts and scholars in and outside of China were published in People’s Daily (Theoretical Edition) and reproduced by Xinhua Digest. Her book of Special Economic Zones and China’s Path was listed in the Frankfurt Book Fair Directory in Germany in 2016 and was published overseas by the Springer. In December 2017, it was listed in "China Book International" and "Project for Translation and Publication of Chinese Cultural Works" - key annual important international cooperation projects of the State Council Information Office and the State Administration of Press Publication, Radio, Film and Television and was published in Arabic by Sefsafa Publishing House. This book was at the same time listed in the publishing program of Nestor-Istoria Publishing House of the Russian Academy of Sciences and was published overseas in Russian in 2017. In 2018, it was selected into the “Silk Road Book Project” of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and was published overseas in Mongolian.
Prof. Tao has long insisted on the idea of “putting theory into practice” and has actively participated in the administration and discussion of state affairs. She has a clear sense of purpose and shoulders great social responsibility by actively providing policy advices and up-to-the-minute concepts for governments of all levels, enterprises and institutions to serve national development strategy and the local economic and social development. A string of major policy advices on SEZs, FTZs, Shenzhen-Hong Kong and Guangdong-Hong Kong collaboration and Bay Area were adopted by relevant authorities and used as an important basis for government officials to make decisions. The book of Advice Journal, an academic brand of CCSEZR created by Prof. Tao, has been published continuously for 23 years since 1996, and has been circulated to universities, think tanks, key officials and decision-makers of central and local governments as basis for decision-making. In September 2015, her advisory report titled The Opinion of Central Government on the Adjustment of Policies for Hong Kong was included in the 35th issue of Internal Journal of Economic Reforms—an internal publication of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the State Council, and submitted to various functional departments of the central government and the State Council. In March 2017, her policy report titled A Lesson From the Suspension of Myitsone Dam in Myanmar: Breaking the “Institutional-Cultural Constraints” During Implementation of the “Belt And Road Initiative” was included in the 12th issue of “Internal Journal” — an internal journal of People’s Daily, and was submitted to the leaders of central government and state organs for reference. In August 2018, The Proposal on Strengthening Cooperation with Pakistan in the Planning and Construction of Special Economic Zones Under the Framework of “Belt and Road Initiative” was published in Proceedings of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences · Special Information (Central Office), a publication of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, for review by central leaders. .
News link:
Shenzhen University: https://www1.szu.edu.cn/board/view.asp?id=390570
Guangdong Humanities and Social Science Network http://www.gdskl.com.cn/news_2774.shtml
Southcn.Com: http://news.southcn.com/g/2019-04/29/content_187081292.htm
