Peking University, May 13: On the afternoon of May 6, 2015, Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu visited Peking University and had a talk with teachers and students there.

It was 17 years ago that Eric Chu visited Peking University for the first time and now this is his second. In 1995, Eric Chu, at that time an associate professor from the Department of Accounting at Taiwan University, came to Peking University as a visiting professor. In 1998, Eric Chu, having already risen to the position of professor participated in activities celebrating the 100th anniversary of Peking University with representatives of Taiwan University. This time, Eric Chu has come back to the place where he once worked.

Peking University Council Chairman Zhu Shanlu met with Eric Chu first at Yingjie Overseas Exchange Center. Zhu said, Eric Chu came to the school as a Visiting Professor in 1995 to teach the compulsory courses for the undergraduate students of the Class of 1998 at Guanghua School of Management. Although it was only a short period of 3 months, he left a deep impression on both the teachers and students and forged a deep friendship with Peking University. He expressed his warm welcome of Chu's return on behalf of the teachers and students of the university. Eric Chu’s emphasis on the constructive interaction between teachers and students meant a lot and as an educational concept, it was closely related to the spirit of Peking University. Zhu hoped that Eric Chu did not forget the days teaching and living at Peking University.

Eric Chu thanked the warm reception he received from the university. He said that Peking University was China’s academic center and Fu Sinian, who used to be an acting president of Peking University, was the most respected president among students at the Taiwan University. It was Fu who brought the democratic spirit to the Taiwan University and his influence has been enourmous.

Zhu Shanlu said that it was a duty for Peking University to educate talents for China. Peking University, at a critical stage of its development, would grasp the great historical opportunity to reform to speed up to be a world-class university. Peking University would make new contributions to cross-strait cultural exchanges and education cooperation. Zhu Shanlu invited Mr.Eric Chu to come back often and hoped that he could teach at Peking University again.

Eric Chu said that he was looking forward to this trip to Peking University. He found a lot of changes have taken place on campus in the past 20 years and the Zhongguancun area has now become a high-tech center. He also recalled the details of his life with students and colleagues during his previous stay at Peking University.

Then, at the Guanghua School of Management, the forum between Eric Chu and teachers and students at Peking University was held. Lin Jianhua, President of Peking University, said in his welcome speech that Mr. Eric Chu was well-known to the teachers and students of Peking University. He was a distinguished scholar in finance. In recent years, Eric Chu has made a great contribution to the cooperation between Peking University and Taiwan’s universities. He said, Peking University has always attached great importance to academic exchanges and cooperation across the strait. As for now, the university has established cooperative ties with 17 universities and educational institutions in Taiwan. Lin Jianhua encouraged students to learn from Eric Chu and play an important role in cross-strait education, academic and cultural exchanges.

At the forum, a reunion for the class that was taught by Eric Chu and his colleagues during his time as Visiting Professor at Peking University was held. Ma Yue, one of his former students, said that Eric Chu was a teacher who encouraged students to communicate with him and who gave his students more than knowledge.

Eric Chu said that he was very glad to come back to Peking University. At the same time, he said happy birthday to the Guanghua School of Management, which is turning 30 this year. He wished all the best for Guanghua's future.

“In the last 20 years, we have all seen the great development of the Chinese economy. In the next 20 years, how to transform the mode of development might be a new challenge and it is also a problem for people in a university to consider,” said Eric Chu.


Reported By: Ge Tingting
Edited By: Xu Liangdi
Source: PKU News (Chinese)