The "2011 Tsinghua Forum" was successfully held at the Scotland Confucius Institute at the University of Edinburgh on 11th August 2011. This came following the two previous sessions of the Forum held in conjunction with the Confucius Institute for Business London at the London School of Economics, on the 8th and 9th August 2011. The Forum welcomed four distinguished professors from Tsinghua University, China, Professor Long Denggao, Liu Taoxiong, Yan Xuetong and Wang Tianfu. The spoke on topics including their research and views on the growth of China's economy, the transformation of social structure, the trends of Sino-US, Sino-Asian relations and their impacts on international configuration and reconfiguration. The Confucius Institute for Business, London and Scotland Confucius Institute would like to take this Forum as an opportunity to create a platform for long-term cooperation, partnership and academic exchange.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Hillier delivered the opening speech at the University of Edinburgh, and Professor Natascha Gentz, Director of the Scotland Confucius Institute chaired this session of the Forum. The insights and humor of the speech created a lively atmosphere, with rounds of applause and laughter throughout. The Q&A session allowed the audience to ask questions, which they did enthusiastically. The guest professors not only answered these questions directly, but also took them as an opportunity to enter into wider discussion with the audience. The feedback from audience members was incredibly positive, with many hoping that future Forums will continue to take place in the future.