Cui Tiankai's commencement speech at ShanghaiTech University

China's longest-serving Ambassador to the U.S. shares his life experience and views on America.

Jointly founded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Shanghai Municipal People’s Government in 2013, ShanghaiTech University aspires to be a small-scale, high-level, international university oriented towards research and innovation, for nurturing the next generation of innovative scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs.

The university held its 2024 Commencement and Degree Conferral Ceremony in the Athletic Center on the morning of July 7, and Cui Tiankai, China’s ambassador to the U.S. between 2013 and 2021, served as the distinguished speaker.

Below is a translation of Cui’s speech, published by ShanghaiTech University on its website and WeChat blog. All emphasis is mine.

I'm very pleased to attend the 2024 ShanghaiTech University commencement ceremony. I thank the university for the warm invitation, which allows me to share this joy. At the same time, I feel deeply humbled. Previous speakers at ShanghaiTech University's commencement ceremonies have been renowned experts, scholars, entrepreneurs, and space heroes. What virtue and ability do I possess to deserve this honor? Moreover, I am a "liberal arts student," and the platform of such a scientific sanctuary like ShanghaiTech University feels out of reach for me. Of course, my mother told me since I was in primary school, "If you master mathematics, physics, and chemistry, you can travel the world without fear." Due to various reasons, I later took a different path. Since I'm standing here today, I'll start by sharing my journey and work experiences, and offer some insights to the students.

I have attended several schools in both China and the United States, but I have never participated in my own graduation ceremony in China. When I was an undergraduate and graduate student in Shanghai and Beijing, the degree system had not yet been restored in China. During my middle school years, it was a special era, and before graduating, I was sent to the countryside as a "knowledgeable youth" with little knowledge, to join a production team in Heihe, Heilongjiang, for five and a half years. During that time, I farmed, drove tractors, and even carried guns, participating in armed militia duty. One could say I attended the "university of society."

Regarding that special era and the "send-down" movement, history has already reached a conclusion. I experienced hardship and injury in the countryside. We should not have romantic memories of that turmoil, nor can we allow it to recur. At the same time, regarding my own growth and understanding of the country's conditions, that period of experience indeed exposed me to challenges and broadened my horizons. It made me understand China's rural areas and farmers, feel the constraints of poverty and underdeveloped science and culture, and comprehend why we must achieve modernization and from what starting point we must move towards it. The village where I was stationed was on the then Sino-Soviet border, giving me direct insight into the complex relationship with our largest neighbor.

For a young urban boy born in Shanghai like me, all this was growth, transformation, and profound, vivid national education. It led to maturity and awareness, making me realize how important it is to understand our national conditions when starting out in life. I still feel grateful when I recall those times.

More fortunately, the country's reform and opening up provided me with the opportunity to understand the world. Due to work needs, I have visited many countries and lived in Japan for some time. However, the longest and most impactful stay was in the United States. Since 1981, I have worked, studied, and lived in the U.S. for over 14 years as a UN staff member, student, and diplomat. Especially as a student, it was like another "send-down" experience abroad. It gave me a chance to systematically understand American history, culture, politics, economy, and society, and interact with various Americans, witnessing the so-called "American way of life." Although I realized at that time that the history of America's founding and its policies towards China were not as benevolent and magnanimous as some proclaimed, I generally approached America with a mindset of learning from and referring to it.

America was very different back then compared to now. In the 1980s, America was confident. It identified the Soviet Union as its main rival and boasted about "Star Wars"; it viewed Japan as an economic threat, attacking its financial and manufacturing sectors. By the 1990s, with the end of the Cold War, America became the only superpower, proudly promoting the so-called "Washington Consensus" and even declaring the "end of history."

Later, things changed. America instigated several regional wars around the world, orchestrated several "color revolutions," and caused chaos in many places. American-led financial capitalism triggered a global financial crisis. People worldwide, including many Chinese, gradually realized that America's strategic focus is its global hegemony, not the welfare of all humanity, especially people in developing countries. The so-called "Pax Americana" does not necessarily benefit world peace, stability, and development; modernization does not equate to Westernization or Americanization. Their methods cannot navigate us to our goals, and their grand teachings often come with double standards in practice.

In recent years, many unexpected and perplexing events have occurred in America itself. People worldwide, including Americans, are re-evaluating the United States. Now, even Washington no longer believes in the old "Washington Consensus," and the "end of history" theory has itself ended. A few years ago, when I gave a speech at Harvard University, I posed a question: "What happened to the confident America?" No one answered me. In the summer of 2021, when I returned to China, I told Dr. Henry Kissinger and other Americans that the America I saw in 2021 seemed different from the one I arrived in back in 2013. They surprisingly agreed with me, making it feel like an entirely different world.

Since my time in Heilongjiang's "send-down" experience to now, China has undergone earth-shaking changes. From my "send-down" experience in the United States to today, the external world, including America, has also experienced significant changes. We indeed live in an era of profound changes in a century. Facing these great changes, as someone who has come through, I offer two suggestions for your reference.

First, learn to understand the world and yourself through a scientific worldview and methodology. The changing world is like a kaleidoscope, dazzling to the eyes. When an overwhelming amount of information comes at us, we need to calm down, observe with our own eyes, think with our own minds, and experience with our own hearts. In his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned a scientific worldview and methodology, proposing 解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进、求真务实 "emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and being realistic and pragmatic." This requires us to understand the world and ourselves comprehensively, dynamically, and dialectically, forming independent thinking that aligns with reality and objective laws, rather than following hearsay or blindly conforming to others.

Nowadays, some "internet celebrities" and "big shots" have significant influence, and artificial intelligence is a hot topic, seemingly poised to replace human brains. However, I still believe we must not let our minds become "racecourses for other people's thoughts." No powerful computing capability can replace independent thinking, nor should it replace human conscience.

Earlier, we discussed how to understand America, listing some of its negative aspects, which are factual. Blindly idolizing America is clearly neither scientific nor objective. On the other hand, thinking that America will henceforth decline irreparably is also a one-sided and absolute view, equally unrealistic and inconsistent with objective laws. America indeed has many problems, serious ones, but its military strength, financial power, technological innovation, and cultural influence still lead the world and maintain an advantage. America's development and evolution result from the combined forces of various factors like economy, politics, culture, population, and natural conditions, often progressing in a spiral. Our understanding should be comprehensive, three-dimensional, dynamic, and dialectical, rather than simplistic, absolute, or wishful thinking. Misunderstanding others often leads to self-misguidance. This is something we need to be vigilant about.

My second suggestion is to stick to your goals and follow your path.

The wheels of history roll forward, regardless of anyone's will. For a country or any individual, the most important thing is to do one's own job well and follow one's own path. For our country, the path of Chinese-style modernization has been chosen, and the goals of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation have been established. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Today, we are closer, more confident, and more capable than ever before of making the goal of national rejuvenation a reality. But we must be prepared to work harder than ever to get there.." The closer we get to success, the more complex the situation often becomes, the greater the resistance, and the higher the risks. We believe that the trends and justice of international changes are on our side, but this does not mean we can easily succeed. China's development has always been about surpassing ourselves, not defeating others, but we must continually overcome obstacles set by others. "Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back." Only by making "greater and more arduous efforts" can the Chinese nation achieve "When shall I reach the top and hold, all mountains in a single glace."

For your generation of students, from now until the realization of the second centenary goal over the next quarter-century, it is your prime time. If "ninety miles is only half of a hundred-mile journey" you are the main force sprinting towards the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. When you hand over the historical baton to the next generation, you will surely feel immensely proud of your dedication to this great cause. What an honor, what grandeur, what romance! This is what I envy most about you. You will pursue various careers, possibly undertake ordinary work, and inevitably face difficulties. As long as you remember the nation's and people's grand goals, integrate personal development into the great cause of national rejuvenation, you will find the meaning of life, inspire your fighting spirit, and realize that "without going through the storm, how can you see the rainbow?" You will discover the road is right under your feet.

Studying in Shanghai, you have been influenced by the city's spirit of 海纳百川、追求卓越、开明睿智、大气谦和 "embracing all, pursuing excellence, being open-minded and wise, and being modest and generous," as summarized by General Secretary Xi Jinping. Being educated at ShanghaiTech University, following the educational philosophy of 立志、成才、报国、裕民 "Set Ambitions, Achieve Success, Serve the Nation, Benefit the People," you will step out with such a spirit, entering a new phase of life. You will surely shoulder the historical responsibility of your generation, fulfill the historical mission well, add color to the motherland, and bring glory to your alma mater.

Nearly a hundred years ago, a young Mao Zedong, standing by the Xiang River, recalled his youthful years and, facing the autumn scenery of "All creatures under frosty skies vie to be freer," wrote the poem "Changsha," expressing the sentiment of "I wonder in this world so vast and dim, Who decides who will sink or swim?" Ten years later, after leading the victorious Long March, Mao Zedong wrote another poem, "Snow," declaring with great enthusiasm, "For truly great people, Look to this age alone." Today, I use Chairman Mao's words to bless you. The world today is also a scene of "All creatures under frosty skies vie to be freer," and the international arena is also asking, "I wonder in this world so vast and dim, Who decides who will sink or swim?" I believe your generation of Chinese sons and daughters will surely answer this question well. You will prove to the world with your achievements and lives: "For truly great people, Look to this age alone."

Thank you, everyone!

Below are two other commencement speeches at prominent Chinese universities this year.

Vice dean at prestigious finance school tells students not to be ashamed of their profession