Justin Yifu Lin
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| Born | October 15, 1952 Yilan, Taiwan |
| Nationality |  People's Republic of China |
| Institution | World Bank Peking University |
| Field | Political economy |
| Alma mater | University of Chicago Peking University National Chengchi University |
| Information at IDEAS/RePEc | |
Justin Yifu Lin (Chinese: 林毅夫; pinyin: Lín Yìfū), born as Zhengyi Lin, (simplified Chinese: 林正义; traditional Chinese: 林正義; pinyin: Lín Zhèngyì) on October 15, 1952, in Yilan, Taiwan, is a Chinese economist and Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Career and education
He is the founder and first director of the China Center for Economic Research, former professor of economics at Peking University, and at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He received an MBA degree from National Chengchi University in 1978, a Master's degree in Marxist political economy from Peking University in 1982, and a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago in 1986.
He was one of the first PRC citizens to receive a PhD in economics from Chicago,[1] and is a leading Chinese economist; he serves as a consultant to major international organizations and is on the editorial board of several international academic economics journals.
He received an Honorary Doctorate from Fordham University in 2009 [2] and was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy in 2010.
[edit] Defection
In 1976 Lin entered the MBA program at National Chengchi University in Taiwan on a defense scholarship, and returned to the army upon receiving his MBA in 1978. As a captain in the Republic of China Army (ROC Army) in Taiwan, he defected to Mainland China on May 17, 1979, reportedly by swimming from the island of Kinmen, in Fujian Province (Chinese: 福建省) under the control of the Republic of China (Taiwan), to the nearby island of Xiamen in the Fujian Province (Chinese: 福建省) of the People's Republic of China (Mainland China). Lin left behind his pregnant wife and his three-year-old child in Taiwan; a year after he defected, he was declared "missing" by the ROC Army and his wife claimed the equivalent of US$ 31,000 from the government.[3] His wife and their children re-joined him years later when both of them went to study in the United States.[4] While an officer in the ROC Army, Lin was held up as a model soldier; after his desertion, the ROC originally listed him as missing but in 2000 issued an order for his arrest on charges of desertion.[5]
As for his reason of this defection, in a letter written to his family in Taiwan about a year after his defection, Lin stated that "based on my cultural, historical, political, economic and military understanding, it is my belief that returning to the motherland is a historical inevitability; it is also the optimal choice." [3][6] A Taiwan University alumnus Hongsheng Zheng (鄭鴻生) also confirmed Lin's such reason and motive.[7] Lin's oldest brother said it was unfair to brand his younger brother a traitor. "I don't understand why people regard him as a villain," he said. "My brother just wanted to pursue his ambitions." [4] On September 16, 2008, Fordham University honored Justin Yifu Lin a reception for his being chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ 凤凰网财经人物(Phoenix Television: The People of Financial Circles),"林毅夫详细资料(The resume of Lin, Yifu)"[1], Phoenix Television,2010. (Chinese)
- ^ Teagle, Melanie (Commencement 2009). "One Hundred Sixty Fourth Annual Commencement". UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT. Lincoln Center Campus New York, NY 10023: Fordham University. http://www.fordham.edu/academics/commencement_2010/commencement_2009/index.asp.
- ^ a b Jennifer Chou: World Bank's Chief Economist Swam to China?, The Weekly Standard, February 11, 2008
- ^ a b "Justin Lin's wife pays her respects". Taipei Times. 2002-06-04. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/06/04/138877. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- ^ "World Bank economist risks arrest if he visits". Taipei Times. 2008-02-07. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/02/07/2003400523. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ^ 林毅夫 (Justin Yifu Lin) (1980). "给表兄李建兴的信 (A letter to elder cousin Jianxing Li)". Published on Oct-18-2010. Beijing, China: 爱思想网(http://www.aisixiang.com). http://www.aisixiang.com/data/36667.html.(Chinese)
- ^ 鄭鴻生 (Zheng, Hongsheng) (June-15-2002). "青年林正義之路 (The Road Taken by Youth Zhengyi Lin)". 文化研究月報 (Monthly Cultural Studies). 三角公園 (Triangle Park) (Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China: 中華民國文化研究學會 (Cultural Studies Association of ROC)) (16). http://hermes.hrc.ntu.edu.tw/csa/journal/16/journal_park110.htm.(Chinese)
- ^ Howe, Bob (October 14, 2008). "Chief World Bank Economist Honored by Fordham". Inside Fordham University online. Lincoln Center Campus New York, NY 10023: Fordham University. http://www.fordham.edu/campus_resources/enewsroom/inside_fordham/october_14_2008/news/chief_world_bank_eco_31195.asp.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Justin Yifu Lin |
- Lin Yifu, China Vitae.
- Justin Yifu Lin biography, CCER website, accessed December 2005.
- World Bank Chief Economist: Justin Yifu Lin
- "Development and Transition: Idea, Strategy and Viability" at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, March 31, 2008
- "Economist Lin Yifu says the poor should get rich quicker", from http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200703/26/eng20070326_361047.html
| Business positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by François Bourguignon |
World Bank Chief Economist 2008–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
