02 Feb 2026
Guimin Yao, a 2025 PhD graduate from International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), has published the first two chapters of her PhD dissertation as first author and corresponding author in two prestigious international journals: The Energy Journal (ABS 3-star journal) and Applied Economics (ABS 2-star journal/ABDC A-ranked journal).
Both studies were supervised by Dr Syed Abbas and Dr Hao Lan, Associate Professors in the Department of Economics at IBSS. Focusing on key issues in China's macroeconomy and energy sector, the research combines theoretical innovation with clear practical relevance.
The paper titled “Asymmetries of Oil Price Shocks and Monetary Policy in China”, published in The Energy Journal, develops an analytical model to reveal the nonlinear transmission mechanisms through which oil price shocks affect China's macroeconomy under different monetary policy frameworks, providing robust empirical evidence to inform policy discussions. The second paper, “Structural Shocks on Renewable Energy Consumption and Investment Regimes”, published in Applied Economics, adopts cutting-edge econometric methods to accurately analyse the differing impacts of macroeconomic and oil price shocks on China's renewable energy consumption and investment, offering valuable academic insight for the country’s green transition strategy.
The publication of these research findings reflect the strong professional capabilities of IBSS faculty and students, as well as their close and supportive collaboration. Guimin Yao expressed sincere gratitude for her supervisors' meticulous guidance: "I would like to sincerely thank Dr Syed Abbas and Dr Hao Lan for their constant companionship and professional guidance throughout the process. From the definition of research direction and the construction of theoretical framework to the selection of econometric methods and the refinement of academic writing, the two supervisors have devoted tremendous efforts. Their rigorous academic attitude, profound academic accumulation, and patient and meticulous guidance have enabled me to make steady progress on my academic journey and benefited me greatly."
As co-authors and supervisors, Dr Syed Abbas and Dr Hao Lan congratulated Guimin on the publication and affirmed her diligence, dedication and research creativity throughout her PhD studies. They noted that guiding doctoral students to conduct high-quality research - and witnessing their growth - is a coreresponsibility of teachers, and they look forward to seeing Guimin continue to explore and achieve more in her future academic career.
Reflecting on Guimin’s work, Dr Syed Abbas said: "Guimin demonstrated a solid academic foundation and outstanding research potential during her PhD studies. We conducted in-depth cooperation around the key topic of energy economics and China's macro policies, advancing step by step from theoretical modeling to empirical analysis. We are deeply pleased that her research achievements have been recognised by international peers." Dr Hao Lan added: "Behind this achievement lies the close collaboration between teachers and students and the full manifestation of the PhD student's research resilience. Ms. Yao has a strong foundation in econometrics and can actively respond to various challenges in research, ultimately producing high-quality academic outcomes. This is also a vivid practice of IBSS's philosophy of integrating research into talent cultivation."
About Dr Syed Abbas
Dr Syed Abbas received his PhD in Economics from Deakin University and Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching from the University of Melbourne. He served as Deputy Head of the Economics Department from 2021-2024 at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and previously as Programme Director of the MSc Economics and Finance Programme (2019-2021). He has also served as Final Year Project Co-ordinator for IBSS (2018-2019) Before joining IBSS in September 2017, he taught at Deakin University and Box Hill Institute in Australia.
His main research areas are macroeconomics and applied econometrics. He has published in journals including Energy Economics (ABDC:A*), Empirical Economics (ABDC:A), Applied Economics (ABDC:A), International Review of Economics and Finance (ABDC:A), Journal of Policy Modelling (online repository, EconModels) (ABDC:A), Economic Modelling (ABDC:A), The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics (ABDC:A) and Economic Record (ABDC:A), among others. He is currently working on inflation targeting policy, asymmetric monetary policy, globalisation, pass-through and smooth transition models, and is welcoming PhD supervision enquiries in these areas.
About Dr Hao Lan
Dr Hao Lan is an Associate Professor of Economics at the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). He received his PhD in Economics from the University of Nottingham and an MSc in Finance and Econometrics from the University of York. Before joining XJTLU, he was a Research Associate at Norwich Business School and the Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia.
Dr Lan’s primary research area is Scanner Data Econometrics, focusing on econometric modelling and analysis of micro-level, large-scale, high-frequency supermarket scanner data. His work has advanced understanding of food pricing and food inflation at the micro level. His secondary research area is Applied Time Series Econometrics, with interests in inflation dynamics, commodity price shocks, and renewable energy transitions.
His research has been published in leading journals, including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics (x2), Applied Economics, Energy Economics, Energy Journal, Environmental and Resource Economics, International Review of Economics and Finance, Journal of Agricultural Economics (x3), Journal of Cleaner Production, and Oxford Economic Papers.
The Energy Journal is a leading international peer-reviewed journal with an ABS 3-star rating, dedicated to publishing high-impact research on energy economics, energy policy and the interaction between energy markets and macroeconomics. Widely recognised in the global energy research community, the journal serves as a key platform for scholars and policymakers to exchange insights on critical energy-related issues, bridging academic theory and practical policy-making.
Applied Economics is an internationally prestigious peer-reviewed journal with ABS 2-star and ABDC A-ranked ratings, focusing on the practical application of economic theories and advanced econometric methods to solve real-world economic issues. Covering fields such as energy economics, macroeconomic policy, and sustainable development, the journal serves as a key platform for academic exchanges between scholars and policymakers worldwide.
02 Feb 2026