Chancellor Tien, on a trip to the Far East, met April 4 in Beijing with Chinese Premier Li Peng. Tien and the premier talked about a wide-range of topics that included the curricula of universities, educational systems, and scientific and research arrangements.
Improving China by developing education and science and technology is one of China's strategies, Li explained. He said that the Chinese government will continue to encourage Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation in the field of education and in scientific research and development.
Li said he appreciated Tien's contribution to Sino-US exchanges and cooperation in the field of education and science, and that he hopes Tien will continue his efforts in this area.
Tien was in Beijing to participate in meetings between delegates from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and representatives of the National Center for Education Development Research of Beijing on higher education finance issues.
He also spoke at the 10th anniversary celebration of the national center and lectured at an international academic colloquium on higher education reform and development sponsored by Beijing
University. He also visited Berkeley students in the UC Education Abroad Program at Beijing University.
Afterwards he traveled to Xi'an to participate in meetings at Xi'an Chiaotong University and to present two lectures there. Since 1987 Tien has served as honorary professor and director of the Xi'an Chiaotong University Engineering Thermophysics Research Institute.