Chinese Diplomat Cui Tiankai to Give 7th NYU Shanghai Commencement Address

Esteemed Chinese diplomat Cui Tiankai will address the Class of 2023 at NYU Shanghai’s commencement ceremony on May 22. Ambassador Cui, China’s longest-serving ambassador to the United States, served in the role for eight years from 2013 to 2021. “This will be my first opportunity to serve as a commencement speaker,” he said. “I am awed to be presented with this honor and am looking forward to sharing my experiences with NYU Shanghai’s graduating class.”

“After studying in China and the United States, Ambassador Cui led an extraordinary career in the world of diplomacy,” said Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman. “We look forward to hearing his thoughts on how an NYU Shanghai education has prepared our graduates to lead equally cosmopolitan lives.”

Ambassador Cui’s talk will focus on his own experiences navigating different cultures throughout his career and the continued importance of cross-cultural exchange. 

Born in Shanghai in 1952, Ambassador Cui pursued advanced education in both China and the US. He earned his masters degree at Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC after studies at East China Normal University and Beijing Foreign Studies University.  

After working as a translator of the UN Secretariat in 1981, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in 1984, where he served successively as Director at the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, MFA Spokesperson, Director-General of the Policy Planning Department, and Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs. He returned to the United Nations (1997-1999), this time in the role of Minister Counselor at China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Later he served successively as Assistant Foreign Minister (2006-2007), Chinese Ambassador to Japan (2007-2009), and then Vice Foreign Minister (2009-2013). Most recently, he served as Chinese Ambassador to the United States in 2013, and remained in the position until 2021.

At the commencement ceremony, in recognition of his work building bridges between China and the world, Chancellor Tong Shijun will present Ambassador Cui with the Chancellor's Medal of Honor. “Building mutual understanding and trust between people of different countries is incredibly important for the public good and Ambassador Cui has made extraordinary contributions to this,” said Chancellor Tong. “I believe that NYU Shanghai students can learn a lot from him about the essential values needed to become truly global citizens.”