On July 7, “Hongmen Dialogue”, the Peking University  expert thematic forum - "Economists Talk: Economics and Mathematical Tools" was held at the lecture hall of SEPKU. Professor Sun Qixiang, Professor Zhang Weiying, Professor Yang Ruilong, Researcher Zheng Hongliang, Professor Liang Qi and Professor Gong Liutang were invited as panelists. Academician Yan Chunhua, Executive Vice President of Peking University Graduate School attended the forum and delivered an opening speech. Professor Dong Zhiyong, Director of Educational Administration of Peking University, presided over this forum.

 

First, Academician Yan Chunhua made an opening remark on behalf of the Graduate School of Peking University. He expressed warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the guests who attended the forum, and gave a brief description of the background of the forum.

 

Professor Sun Qixiang, Dean of SEPKU, summarized three major changes of economic studies since the 30 years’ reform and opening up. There were also some problems. She pointed out that we had to face up to the existing problems. She said that economic thought was content and mathematical tools were the external form of content, both were equally important, but the form should be subject to the content.

 

Professor Zhang Weiying thought that in the past two hundred years, the mathematical tool played an important role for development economics. But economists now pay too much attention to the operability of mathematics.

 

Professor Yang Ruilong mentioned that economic thought was the basis for economic research, mathematical tools were paradigm to analyze the mainstream economics, it was difficult to judge which one was more important.

 

Researcher Zheng Hongliang affirmed the contribution of quantitative analysis method based on mathematical tools for the development of economics. He also pointed out that in economics, economic story was as important as analysis tools.

 

Professor Liang Qi believed that some scholars concerned over quantitative results, but just ignored the hidden interesting economic stories.

 

Professor Gong Liutang believed that the introduction of mathematical tools played an important role in standardized economic analyzation, so economic researchers should lay the foundation in both economics and mathematics.

 

Then the panelists expanded dialogues and interactive seminars around economic thoughts and mathematical tools. Finally, they encouraged the students and teachers to study hard, innovate and contribute their own strength to the development of economic subjects and the motherland`s prosperity.