The center was founded by returned economists such as Zhang, Zhang, Zhang, and Zhang, and its first director was a professor. In May 2008, after Lin Yifu became the vice president and chief economist of the World Bank, the director of the center was appointed temporarily by Zhou Qiren. 2008-201211Zhou Qiren was the president of the National Development Research Institute of Peking University. 201211since October, Yao Yang has been the third president of the National Development Research Institute.

In 2008, the National Development Research Institute (NSD) of Peking University was established on the basis of China Economic Research Center of Peking University. As the internal organization of NSD, China Economic Research Center (ccer or Center is now called National Development Research Institute by the public due to historical influence) will concentrate on organizing academic and scientific research activities, promoting the construction of economic disciplines, and continue to contribute to the economic reform and development of China. Professor Yao Yang is the director of China Economic Research Center, and Professor Zhao and Professor Zhao are the deputy directors of China Economic Research Center. The center has an Internet page to introduce the basic situation of the center, publish the research results of the center and report the activities of the center in time. The Center has also established the China Economics Education and Research Network to promote the exchange of economists in China, which has become the official website of the "China Economics Annual Meeting" sponsored by the Center.

The development of CCER has been supported by the leaders of Peking University and all walks of life, and it has condensed the efforts of a group of teachers and students with the same ideals and beliefs. Looking back on the past and looking forward to the future, CCER will keep pace with the times, and strive to make greater contributions to the economic reform and development of China and to the teaching and scientific research of economics, so as to make China Economic Research Center the first domestic and world-class scientific research and teaching institution.