On July 19, 2025, Professor Zhang Honglin from the Department of Economics at Illinois State University (ISU) was invited to deliver a lecture at the “Nankai Institute of Economics and Development Academic Forum.” His talk, entitled “A Comparative Study of Industrial Policies in China and the United States and Reflections on Research,” was chaired by Professor Liu Weilin, Vice Dean of our institute.

The event was attended by Professor Liu Binglian, Dean of the institute; Professor Bai Xuejie, Vice Dean; Professor Du Chuanzhong, Director of the Institute of Industrial Economics; Professor Pang Ruizhi, Director of the Center for Enterprise Research; as well as other faculty members, students, and alumni.

Professor Zhang Honglin began by defining industrial policy, elaborating on its core connotation as a key policy instrument in great-power competition under globalization, including the objectives and tools of government intervention, as well as the distinction between narrow and broad definitions. He then conducted an in-depth analysis of the relationship between the market and the government, highlighting the crucial role of national scale in economic development, and introduced the “two-dimensional rise model,” which examines the conditions for the rise of major powers from the dual perspectives of national scale and development model.

Next, in the context of globalization, he explored the pathways of great-power rise, with a focus on how China has leveraged its scale advantage and the development model of an “effective market and proactive government” to achieve rapid growth. Using specific data, he compared the development gaps and competitive dynamics between China and the United States in advanced industries.

In conclusion, Professor Zhang emphasized China’s competitive advantages in manufacturing innovation, economic institutions, and production capacity, underscoring the role of new quality productive forces in driving industrial transformation.

Following the lecture, faculty and students engaged in interactive discussions on the practical effects and future trends of industrial policy.

This lecture marked the 27th session of the“Nankai Institute of Economics and Development Academic Forum.” Through this lecture series, the institute seeks to promote communication and collaboration between internal and external resources, broaden the academic horizons of its faculty and students, and enhance the institute’s academic influence.