At the lecture, Prof. Tian started with the Government Work Report delivered at the Two Sessions to unpack the underlying logic behind China’s shift from high-speed to medium-high growth since the reform and opening-up drive. He systematically elaborated on the core essence of new quality productive forces: taking scientific and technological innovation as the leading driver, breaking away from traditional economic growth models and productivity development paths, and realizing high-tech, high-efficiency and high-quality development.

Prof. Tian pointed out that amid external technological blockades and internal shifts in growth momentum, China must reshape its financial system through sci-tech finance, green finance, inclusive finance, pension finance and digital finance, with sci-tech finance serving as the core support for technological innovation.

Blending historical perspective with cutting-edge academic insights, Prof. Tian’s lecture featured rigorous logic and a broad strategic vision. Starting from the achievements and challenges of China’s economic expansion, he closely linked financial institutional design with real-world technological innovation practices. Drawing on abundant academic empirical evidence and vivid real-world cases, he thoroughly illustrated diverse pathways for finance to empower sci-tech innovation, covering inclusive venture capital ecosystems, improvements to the law-based business environment, gaps in personal bankruptcy legislation, and the critical importance of policy continuity.

Imbued with the contemporary spirit of “daring to forge ahead and shoulder responsibilities”, the lecture embodied profound academic attainment and a strong sense of patriotism. It deepened the audience’s understanding of new quality trends in economic growth and sparked in-depth reflections on achieving self-reliance and strength in science and technology and building a country with strong financial strength.

During the interactive exchange session, a university student studying in the Lin-gang consulted Prof. Tian on the significance of fostering sound academic conduct. Another attendee raised a question about how traditional industries can cope with cutthroat internal competition amid industrial transformation, to which Prof. Tian provided patient and thorough responses.

Fan Aimin, Member of Party Working Committee of Lin-gang Special Area and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Working Committee, attended the event and presented a commemorative plaque to Prof.Tian. More than 900 citizens attended the lecture on site.

After the event, Prof. Tian visited Peking University International Sci-Tech Innovation Center at Lin-gang Special Area, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (PKU-IICSH, or the Center) 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, well-known professors or experts from Peking University was invited to Lingang Special Area monthly to give special lectures and have in-depth exchanges with the builders of the Lingang Special 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 PKU-DSLLH 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.