A ceremony to issue appointment counselors by the municipal government to expand the Think Tank Alliance was held in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei province, on April 19.

Tang Liangzhi, the mayor, awarded certificates to 12 newly-appointed counselors. They include former Party secretary of Wuhan University Li Jian, academician Zhang Lina, Yang Zongkai, Zhang Zhonghua, Liang Xiangbin, Gu Zhaonong, Liu Ziming, Fang Fang, Zhang Liangzhu, Yu Xi, Ye Qing and Fang Shirong.

Zhao Zisen, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the father of fiber optics in China, and Hong Kezhu, former director of the China Construct Third Engineering Bureau, were awarded as Honorary Counselors due to their special contribution.

Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, the Southern Branch of the China Academy of Urban Development, the Alliance of the Wuhan Engineering Designing Industry, the Wuhan Academy of Social Science, the Wuhan Municipal Party School and the Wuhan International Engineering Consulting Bureau joined the Think Tank Alliance.

The new counselors have many highlights. Li Jian, as the former Party secretary in Wuhan University, is the first counselor at the ministerial level in the past 63 years in Wuhan. Academician Zhang Lina and professor Du Yumin are the first counselors couple nationwide.

Last year, the Wuhan Consulting Office selected government counselors among ordinary citizens, arousing widespread attention and strong reactions. It also founded the first Think Tank Alliance in China. The Think Tank Alliance helps to form a pattern assembling ideas from experts, ordinary people, companies, and government officials. These are two major breakthroughs nationwide.