A leading Chinese university has given a Russian banker sanctioned by the United States a prestigious honorary academic title, soon after they signed a partnership agreement on innovative development.German (also known as Herman) Gref, CEO and chairman of Russia’s Sberbank, has been given the title of “distinguished visiting professor” by Tsinghua University, according to Russian state news agency Ria on Tuesday, citing a source familiar with the matter.Gref was part of the delegation accompanying Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing for a two-day state visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that concluded on Wednesday.The title is awarded to those who have made “exceptional contributions” to economics, technology, public administration and society, Ria reported, calling it a rare and “highly valued” distinction.China’s Xi hails ‘fruitful’ talks with Russia’s Putin #xitrumpsummitGref was awarded the title for his contributions to technology transformation and the development of artificial intelligence in Russia and internationally.