Yesterday (January 27th), PKU-DSLLH 30th was successfully held at Dishui Lake Theatre. Professor Liu Guoen, a Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor of Economics at the National School of Development (NSD) at Peking University, and Dean of the Institute for Global Health and Development at Peking University, was invited to give a special lecture titled Economic Growth and Human Civilization: Reflections Based on Planetary Boundaries.
At the lecture, Prof. Liu started with the evolutionary trajectory from the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution to the Industrial Revolution, revealing the core driving force behind humanity's breakthrough of the "Malthusian Trap" over 200 years ago — the technological foundation laid by the Scientific Revolution and the institutional environment shaped by the Enlightenment. He explained the incentive effect of inclusive institutions on the economy and emphasized that the key to long-term economic growth lies in "creative destruction" driven by technological progress. Prof. Liu pointed out that China currently must focus on activating domestic demand and upgrading the service industry, and medical and health services, as the core engine of the future service economy, hold enormous development potential. Meanwhile, he warned of the "planetary boundary" crisis behind the growth model of the Industrial Revolution and elaborated on Planetary Health Axis System(PHAS) developed by the Peking University team. This system takes human health, species health, environmental health and social health as its four core dimensions, integrating more than 48,000 key variables to provide intelligent support for the sustainable development of human civilization.
Prof. Liu's lecture combined historical depth with a focus on real-world realities, featuring clear logic and a broad vision. He integrated the epic of human development with China's economic practices, looking back at the roots of growth miracles while confronting current challenges and risks, and demonstrating profound academic accomplishments and a strong sense of responsibility. From interpreting the core code of economic growth to calling for the protection of the Earth's home, from theoretical elaborations to sharing cases of technological innovation, Prof. Liu's explanations were lucid and insightful, earning continuous applause from the audience. His lecture deepened the audience's understanding of the laws of economic growth, triggered profound reflections on the continuity of civilization and planetary health, and conveyed a development philosophy that integrates scientific rigor with humanistic care.
In the interactive session, the on-site audience raised questions enthusiastically. A high school teacher of Politics asked about the correlation between supply-side structural reform and long-term economic growth, and a child wondered whether the PHAS can determine how long the Earth can sustain human life and where humanity's way out is when the Earth is in an unhealthy state. Prof. Liu answered all the questions patiently. The entire interactive session was held in a lively atmosphere, which further deepened the ideological connotation of the lecture.
Yang Zhengwei, Member of Party Working Committee of Lin-gang Special Area and Executive Deputy Director of Lin-gang Special Area Administration, attended the event and awarded Prof. Liu a commemorative plaque for the lecture. Approximately 300 citizens attended the lecture on site, and the new media platforms attracted a total of nearly 160,000 online viewers.
Before the event, Prof. Liu visited Peking University International Sci-Tech Innovation Center at Lin-gang Special Area, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone(PKU-IICSH) on site, toured the Party and Mass Service Center on the first floor, and gave kind guidance on the development of PKU-IICSH.
PKU-DSLLH is a series of lectures initiated by PKU-IICSH, jointly with the Office of Science and Technology Development and Office of Humanities Social Sciences, Peking University under the initiative and support of Lin-gang Special Area Administration. It is deeply involved by units such as Peking University Press and the Peking University Alumni Association. Relying on Peking University's profound academic accumulation and expert resources in the fields of humanities and social sciences, it focuses on economic development, humanistic art, and social governance.
Since August 2023, PKU-IICSH has invited a well-known professor or expert from Peking University to the new area every month to give special lectures and have in-depth exchanges with the builders of the new area, promoting the aggregation of high-quality humanities and social science resources from Peking University in Lingang, effectively enhancing the cultural image and urban competitiveness of the Lingang Special Area, and better meeting the diverse and high-quality spiritual and cultural needs of the people. The Peking University Dashui Lake Lecture Hall has become an important cultural brand activity in the Lingang Special Area, allowing every Lingang striver to release their youthful passion, pursue their youthful dreams, and achieve all-round development in the nourishment of culture, and outlining a richer cultural texture and injecting stronger spiritual strength into the Young City for the Youth.
