And after performing a recital for NYU Shanghai in last year, consensus has been achieved.

"Since NYU has a high level of professionalism in arts education, after receiving this degree, we'll be cooperating closely on music education programs, such as music camp," said Lang.

" Lang Lang, an exemplary global citizen molded in the great institutions of China and the US and a source of pride and resonance for NYU and NYU Shanghai, you are a dynamic and iconic bridge for music and peace between East and West," Sexton said in the end of his speech for honoring Lang.

During the commencement, it also ran a video of Lang's piano solo at the Washington Square Park especially created for this year's NYU commencement.

Before the degree from NYU, Lang has already received honorary doctorates from the Royal Academy of Music in UK and the Manhattan School of Music and honorary Oxford fellowship from the University of Oxford in UK.

Besides Lang, four honorary doctorates were bestowed, receivers are Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Peter D. Lax, Abel Prize-winning mathematician, Graca Simbine Machel, political leader and humanitarian, Jan Tomas Vilcek, physician and biomedical researcher.

About 8,000 students receiving undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees and over 20,000 guests attended the ceremony.

Hong Xiao in New York contributed to this story

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