David Daokui Li

David Daokui Li is a renowned Chinese economist currently serving as the Mansfield Freeman Professor of Economics and director of the Center for China in the World Economy at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management. In his career, Li has held several prestigious positions in academia, including a visiting scholarship at the Center for International Development of Harvard Kennedy School, assistant professor at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, research fellow at the Hoover Institute of Stanford University, and professor and deputy director of the Economic Development Research Center of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Notably, in 2013, he was appointed the founding dean of the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University.

In addition to his academic roles, Li has been a part of an academic trio that replaced Fan Gang in the Monetary Policy Committee of the People's Bank of China. His governmental experience extends further as he also served as a former member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Li's contributions to economics literature are considerable; he is the author of the book "China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict" and has held the position of editor for the Journal of Comparative Economics and the Economics Bulletin.

Li's research and perspectives have frequently been sought after by media outlets. He has written op-eds for The Wall Street Journal on various topics, including the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. Moreover, his research in 2023 concluded that local government debt in China was 50% higher than previously estimated by the IMF and World Bank, further proving his expertise in economic matters.