The City University of Macau (CityU) recently organized the Charhar Diplomatic Lecture Series, featuring renowned author and Brazilian professor, Elias Jabbour from the School of Economics at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Prof. Jabbour shared his insights on the theme “Considerations on the Chinese Way,” which focused on China’s development path. The lecture was attended by faculty, students, government officials, and representatives.
Among the attendees were Liu Xianfa, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region; Han Fangming, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, chairman of City University of Macau – Charhar Center, and honorary doctorate recipient of CityU; Fong Ka Kin, head of the Department of Higher Education of the Government Education and Youth Development Bureau; Sun Enguang and Li Xiangyu, executive chairmen of the Committee on Macau and Portuguese-Speaking Countries of the Charhar Institute; Lee Peng Hong, vice chairman of the Committee on Macau and Portuguese-Speaking Countries of the Charhar Institute; as well as Professor Jun Liu, rector of CityU.
On behalf of City University of Macau, Rector Jun Liu warmly welcomed Prof. Elias Jabbour and thanked him for sharing his remarkable achievements, unique insights, and extensive knowledge in the fields of social science and socialism with the faculty and students. In his speech, Rector Liu introduced Prof. Jabbour’s contributions to research on China’s development and governance over the past three decades, with six published books and dozens of academic articles. His latest publication, “China: Socialism in the 21st Century,” is a bestseller in Brazil, where it introduces readers to the concept of socialism and uses a dialectical approach to analyze the distinctiveness of China's economy and development. The book has sold 25,000 copies and received the “Special Book Award of China.”
Prof. Elias Jabbour provided a profound interpretation of the formation and development of China’s modernization path from an international perspective, revealing important insights and lessons to be learned from China’s development path. He discussed how China has opened up a new form of economic and social structure, the “socialist market economy,” through economic reforms since the start of its opening-up policy. He emphasized the importance of understanding socialism with Chinese characteristics, as China’s development has created new theoretical paradigms and concepts at a higher stage of development in the socialist market economy. He referred to China’s economic framework as the “new projectment economy.” He pointed out that China’s technological innovation system plays a positive role in economic development, unlike capitalist countries, where resources are strategically focused on disruptive technological innovations, such as China’s infrastructure innovations, 5G, artificial intelligence, and big data. The road of socialism with Chinese characteristics embodied a surpassing of Western capitalist and Soviet planned economic models. Through theoretical origins, evidence, and multi-angle discussions, Prof. Jabbour expounded on the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics and China’s economic development. He also highlighted the challenges and opportunities that China’s economy will face in the future under the development of globalization and the Belt and Road Initiative.
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During the Q&A session, the students and participants actively asked questions, covering topics such as international relations, trade cooperation, and economic systems. Prof. Jabbour shared his insights and engaged in lively discussions.
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On the same day, Prof. Elias Jabbour visited the Taipa Campus to experience the university’s history and international and diverse campus culture. He also had a meeting with Rector Jun Liu; José C. Alves, dean of the Faculty of Business; José Paulo Afonso Esperança; associate dean of the Faculty of Business; Cheung Wai Kong, Dean of the Faculty of Finance; and other representatives. They engaged in fruitful discussions regarding exchange and cooperation between Chinese and Brazilian universities, research initiatives, scholar visits, student exchanges, and the establishment of cooperative development mechanisms. With shared vision, they hope to strengthen educational cooperation between China and Brazil and promote academic, talent, and cultural exchanges.
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Other Attendees at the Charhar Diplomatic Lecture included Gao Yuan, director of Public Diplomacy and Information Office of the Commissioner Office; and Wang Jiangyou, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Office of Charhar Institute; as well as representatives from the Portuguese-speaking countries to the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao). They included Gika Makeba da Graça Simão, representative of São Tomé and Príncipe; Agostinho João António dos Santos, representative of Angola; Nuno Furtado, representative of Cabo Verde; Cristina Mangue Abeso, representative of Equatorial Guinea; Francisca Torcida Reino, representative of Mozambique; Márcia Cordeiro Guerreiro, representative of Portugal. Vice Rector Ip Kuai Peng, faculty leaders, and department heads.
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