On July 9, 2018, the graduation ceremony of first future leadership class of the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program was held in (Leo) Koguan Building of Peking University Law School. Zhu Yongxin, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, deputy secretary-general of the National Committee of the CPPCC and vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party, Wang Junfeng, chairman of the All-China Lawyers Association and global chairman of King & Wood Mallesons, Ouyang Zhenyuan, dean of the King & Wood Law Institute, Wang Rui, executive dean of King & Wood College and partner of King & Wood Mallesons, Yuan Zhuang, partner of King & Wood Mallesons, Zhang Shouwen, dean of Peking University Law School, Wang Xizhuang, Yang Xiaolei, Guo Wei, all deputy dean of PKULS, Lu Jiangnan, deputy secretary of the Party committee, together with other guests and teachers, attended the graduation ceremony. The graduation ceremony was hosted by Pan Jianfeng, Party Secretary of PKULS.

At the beginning of the ceremony, all the participants watched the commemorative film of the first future leader class, looking back on the development process of the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program. In the past year, focusing on the core topic of “Future Leadership and Responsibility of the Era”, famous scholars like Zhu Suli, Wang Xizhuang, Liang Genlin, Zhang Weiying, Yao Yang, Yu Keping, Wang Yisi and Yang Lihua, business leaders like Li Ning, Li Yi and Zhang Liping, and outstanding lawyers like Ye Lu, Xu Ping, Lou Xianying and Jiang Junlu, provided wonderful feasts of knowledge to the students, covering the theory of state governance and political economy, as well as cultural innovation and regional ecology. International negotiations, Model United Nations, cultural and creative competitions, leadership training, corporate visits and field discussions are comprehensively used, guiding students to seek truth both in and outside the classroom while achieving the interaction between theory and practice, value and experience based on reality and facing the future. Profound academic heritage and rich academic resources of Peking University, as well as comprehensive practical experience and the spirit of pursuing excellence and continuous innovation of King & Wood Mallesons, have provided the most solid guarantee for the growth of GLBE.

In his graduation speech, Professor Zhang Shouwen, dean of Peking University Law School, congratulated all the students for their graduation and was gratified by the participants' understanding and gains. Dean Zhang pointed out that this year was the 120th anniversary of the foundation of Peking University. Over the past 120 years, Peking University has worked hard for the construction of the country's system and law, as well as the country's comprehensive modernization. These are closely related to the country's development and the prosperity of the nation. He hoped that students of "future leader" class should bear the responsibility of family and country shouldered in mind, while profoundly understanding the positioning and goals of the future leader project. In the global high-end law businessman program jointly provided by Peking University and King & Wood Mallesons, students should think deep and communicate more, stay original while innovating, comprehensively strengthen their knowledge reserves, constantly improve their ability to solve practical problems, and eventually become future leaders in the industry. Finally, Dean Zhang sincerely thanked friends from all sectors of the society for their concern and support for the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program, and invited people to join hands in the development of the education of Chinese legal and business executives.

In his speech, Mr. Zhu Yongxin, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC and vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party, proposed that "(the program) should be an irreplaceable legal business project, (while students of this program) should become unforgotten GLBE students." He said that the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program planned to fully integrate law and business, politics and culture, knowledge and capabilities, and domestic and international affairs. He hoped that students would practice their ideals with their efforts, expanding the length, width and height of their life and eventually becoming life prototypes and role models for others.

In the speech of student representative, Mr. Hong Zuyun, CEO and founder of Zhihe Oriental, started from the "Patriotism, historical responsibility and mission" he recorded at the opening ceremony on October 19 last year, recalling valuable knowledge and classmates he gained in the past year. He said, "From today, Peking University is a commission for us to integrate into the blood and live for life. I really appreciate Peking University. I hope that future leaders will be like stars shining in the historical night sky." “We will face the challenges of the future together. I am very happy that I am not alone and very happy to meet you all."

Subsequently, the first inaugural future leader class teacher, the Executive Dean of King & Wood College, and the partner of King & Wood Mallesons, Ms. Wang Rui, cited a phrase of the German philosopher Jaspers in his article "What is Education": "Education is like a tree shaking another one, a cloud pushing another one, a soul awakening another soul” to express her current feelings. She said that as a forerunner who hoped to lead the development of future legal and business leaders, how to face the future, how to ignite and awake young elites and leaders who are moving towards the future, was what Peking University and King & Wood Mallesons have been thinking about in the past year and surely in the future. Peking University and King & Wood Mallesons will jointly explore and make important propositions. She wished the students to think seriously and remain critical on the way to the future. "Peking University and King & Wood Mallesons will always be the home of everyone. Please often return home."

After that, Mr. Wang Junfeng, Chairman of the All China Lawyers Association and Global Chairman of King & Wood Mallesons, delivered a speech and encouraged the students. He pointed out that the integration of law and business aimed at cultivating a group of leading talents who have legal thinking, business empowerment, political strategy, leadership, and future eyesight. "If you choose responsibility and responsibility, you must stand in the ranks of leaders." He believed that responsibility can best summarize the temperament and trait of the leader. He hoped that future leaders of the new era will shoulder the responsibility of a new history, facing challenges, innovation and change, while working with courage to take responsibility and lead the future.

Finally, Professor Zhang Shouwen, dean of Peking University Law School and Mr. Wang Junfeng, global chairman of King & Wood Mallesons, presented each student with a diploma and a commemorative gift, and took photos.

After the ceremony, Zhang Shouwen, Dean of Peking University Law School, Pan Jianfeng, Party Secretary, and Ouyang Zhenyuan, Dean of the King & Wood Law Institute, together with student representatives and Ms. Yu Mei, Executive Director of the Greater China Bank of Singapore, unveiled the future leader class alumni tree.Graduates inscribed “Staying pure and originial, leading the future” on the tree, leaving a permanent memorial for their alma mater. The alumni tree carries the farewell and blessings of the first batch of graduate students, and will grow with the students of the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program Program and future Leadership Class.

Relying on the advantages of the platform, responding to the needs of the times, serving the country and global development strategy, in 2017, Peking University Law School cooperated with King & Wood Public Welfare Foundation, King & Wood Mallesons and King & Wood College to create the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program. This project aims to condense intellectual resources and practical experience, break the barriers of theory and practice, and strive to build a platform for high-end legal businessmen in China and the world, and to cultivate legal and business leaders who serve China and the future of mankind.

Law is the start of the country’s operation, while business is for the country and people. With legal and business, people know what to do and start their journey. With the successful completion of the first course, the PKU-KWM Global Legal and Business Executive Program has also ushered in a new journey and a new starting point. The program will always take legal practice and business experience in the process of globalization as the basic dimension, continuously improve and enrich the high-end curriculum system with a vision of the future, focusing on the real experience and talent demand of social development, cultivating future, innovative and courageous composite leaders for all fields of society.

　　Translated by: Luo Zhen

　　Edited by: Liu Shuo