Dr. Ximing Yao, professor of linguistics, Dean of the College of International Exchange and Director of the Office of Confucius Institute Affairs at Shanghai University, is an expert on socio-linguistics, Western rhetoric and lexicography. In 2008 he was a research fellow at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. From 2008 to 2010, he served as the Chinese Director of Confucius Institute at Phuket, PSU, Thailand. He has published over 30 research articles in academic journals and compiled over 10 books of translation works and textbooks. He has taught many courses such as general linguistics, socio-linguistics, history of cultural communications and Chinese culture and history.

He is also the head of Uzbekistan Research and Educational Exchange Center, Shanghai University.