About Me

With a bachelor degree in Philosophy from Peking University (北京大学) and an MSc in Economics and Finance from the University of York, I started my career in a consulting company, where I provided legal and financial advice to governments and businesses on infrastructure projects, including power plants, water plants, sewage treatment plants, highways, and underground transport systems. I later left the company to pursue a PhD in Economics at Cardiff University, focusing on macroeconomic DSGE modelling and applied microeconomics.

I formally joined Cardiff Business School in 2016. I am now Professor of Economics and Director of the China Centre for Business Research and the Welsh Institute for Research in Economics and Development. Since May 2025, I have served as University Dean of International, reporting to the Pro Vice Chancellor International. My leadership responsibilities mainly cover partnerships in Greater China and Transnational Education (TNE). As part of my senior management role, I also serve as Director of Cardiff Confucius Institute.

My research has been published in leading field journals, including Research Policy, Reginal Studies, Economic History Review, Journal of Business Ethics, Annals of Tourism Research, Energy Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, etc. Drawing on our decades of teaching and research experience, my coauthor and I published the textbook "Applied Economics in Globalised Economies: Problems and Policies" with Palgrave Macmillan. Lecture slides, test banks, data & codes, and podcasts are available here.

Alongside my academic work, I have maintained close links with industry and policy practice, providing consultancy for Confused.com, Ausnutria Dairy Co. Ltd, and Peril Capital Ltd. I also contributed to the evaluation of the Welsh Government-funded Independent Living Adaptations scheme and to research investigating the health needs of people experiencing homelessness. I have been invited to present my findings at the Houses of Parliament in London and the Welsh Assembly. I also regularly contribute expert opinions and interviews to media outlets, including the BBC, ITV, The Conversation, Times Higher Education, and Oxford Analytica.