N-M Chapter 607: Acceptance Speech
Chapter 607: Acceptance Speech
A few days later, Huang Xiaochuan flew from New York to Boston to attend the American Economic Association (AEA) annual meeting and the Clark Medal award ceremony. This was not only his personal moment of highest academic honor, but also a key part of his public relations strategy to cultivate an image of an outstanding scholar.
The awards ceremony was held in Boston’s historic and elegant Symphony Hall, a hall renowned for its exceptional acoustics, which was illuminated tonight by the economics community’s grand event.
The enormous crystal chandelier cast a dazzling light, making the deep red velvet chairs with gold trim and the smooth wooden walls appear exceptionally magnificent.
The air was filled with the aroma of fine champagne and the scent of expensive perfumes worn by the ladies.
The participants were all top figures in the global economics community, including Nobel laureates, presidents and deans of top universities, chief economists of renowned think tanks, central bank governors of countries, economists of international organizations, and emerging academic talents like Huang Xiaochuan.
Accompanied by Gao Song and Zhang Sui, Huang Xiaochuan entered the venue. He was wearing a custom-made black tuxedo, and his posture was upright and his steps were composed. Instantly, he became the focus of everyone's attention.
Those gazes contained sincere blessings, pure academic admiration, curiosity about Asia's richest man, and of course, some complex and difficult-to-understand emotions, especially among some of the American scholars present.
Huang Xiaochuan smiled and shook hands with him to express his gratitude, his posture very humble.
After a series of meeting procedures and opening remarks, the awards ceremony officially began.
"Professor Huang Xiaochuan is awarded the 2001 John Bates Clark Medal in recognition of his foundational contributions to several cutting-edge economic fields. His pioneering research on signal transmission and discrimination models in information economics has profoundly revealed the operating rules of market mechanisms under conditions of information asymmetry. His insightful observations and rigorous modeling of irrational market behavior and the mechanisms of asset bubble formation and collapse in financial economics have provided powerful analytical tools for understanding financial market fluctuations, and his theories have demonstrated remarkable predictive power in recent market practices. His research on the interaction between institutions, human capital, and technological innovation in economic growth and development theory has provided new perspectives for some developing countries. Professor Huang Xiaochuan's research combines theoretical depth with practical relevance. The rigor, originality, and richness of his economic toolbox make him one of the most outstanding representatives of his generation, perfectly embodying the spirit of the Clark Medal."
Amid thunderous applause, Huang Xiaochuan steadily walked onto the stage covered with a deep blue carpet. The spotlight shone on him, and below were hundreds of faces representing the highest wisdom in the field of economics. At this moment, Huang Xiaochuan was filled with mixed emotions. Through the mists of time, he thought of his past life, of his life as a beast of burden, of his life trajectory after rebirth, and of the meticulous guidance he received from Mr. Wang Deyi.
Holding his medal, he walked to the microphone, adjusted it with one hand, and began his acceptance speech in fluent English.
Tonight, standing in this hall of fame that brings together the most outstanding wisdom in the field of economics, I receive the prestigious John Bates Clark Medal. I am deeply honored and grateful. This is not only an acknowledgment of my past work, but also a tribute to the academic environment that nurtured me, my mentors, my colleagues, my students, and the spirit of open exchange between the Eastern and Western economics communities.
Economics is a fascinating discipline that explores human choice, resource allocation, and social well-being. Rooted in a profound understanding of human behavior, it also bears the responsibility of explaining complex phenomena and improving the real world. My research has always started with curiosity and bewilderment about the operating logic of the real world: Why is information unevenly distributed in the market? Why do rational individuals collectively fuel irrational market frenzy? How do the sparks of institutions and technology ignite the engine of long-term growth? These questions drive me to search for answers at the intersection of theory and reality.
The Clark Medal encourages potential; it belongs to the future. And I believe that the future of economics lies in embracing complexity, in the interdisciplinary integration, in the deep dialogue between theoretical models and the deluge of data, and even more so in the courageous response to global challenges such as the widening inequality, the impact of technological change, the threat of climate change, and the dilemmas of global cooperation and governance. It requires us to maintain the rigor and elegance of theory while not avoiding the chaos and challenges of reality.
Technology, as one of the most powerful driving forces of our time, is reshaping the boundaries of economics. It has created unprecedented data wealth, but it has also brought profound issues such as privacy, monopolies, and the transformation of employment structures. Understanding the economic logic of technology and guiding it to serve broader prosperity and fairness is an inescapable responsibility for economists.
Openness and cooperation are the cornerstones of knowledge progress. The exchange of ideas knows no borders, just as we are gathered here today. The wisdom of economics belongs to all humankind, and its development requires the joint efforts of scholars worldwide and the mutual inspiration of different civilizations' perspectives. Only by breaking down the barriers of cognition can we get closer to the truth of economic operation.
Finally, please allow me to once again express my deepest gratitude to the award committee for their recognition, to my supervisor, Professor Wang Deyi, for his guidance in economics, to my family for their unconditional support, and to all my colleagues who have walked alongside me on my academic journey, questioned me, and inspired me. This honor will motivate me to continue exploring the mysteries of the economic world. Thank you all!
Huang Xiaochuan's speech was calm and composed, demonstrating both academic rigor and humanistic concern. He particularly emphasized key terms such as technology, openness, and global cooperation, which not only fit the atmosphere of an academic institution but also resonated strongly with his ongoing acquisition of Solar Energy, which is facing CFI review. Technological progress requires openness and cooperation, not closure and suspicion.
After the speech, the entire audience rose to their feet and applauded for a long time. This applause was an affirmation of his academic achievements and also somewhat diluted the strange looks brought about by the commercial acquisition.
At the ensuing dinner, Huang Xiaochuan became the absolute center of attention. Nobel laureates proactively engaged him in conversation, discussing details of his papers; presidents of top universities warmly invited him to visit and lecture; economists from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank showed great interest in his views on developing countries. Deans from Harvard, IT, and Princeton surrounded him, half-jokingly, half-seriously inquiring whether his newly established "Xiangjiang Institute of Economic Research" (XIER) needed advisors or visiting professors—their intention to win him over was obvious. Huang Xiaochuan responded calmly and eloquently, maintaining the humility of a scholar while exuding a gentle confidence. He clearly felt that the aura of being a Clark Medal laureate had given him a more persuasive "armor."
Meanwhile, the domestic media present at the scene quickly recorded the grand event and sent it back to China. It was broadcast for 22 seconds on important national news programs, and afterwards, the phone numbers of Huang, Zeng, and Yu became hotlines.