On the bright and fresh morning of April 22^nd, 2022, the celebration of the 70^th anniversary of USTB was held in the Olympic Gymnasium.

Reply Letter by President XI Jinping

On the eve of the 70^th anniversary, President XI Jinping wrote back to the USTB senior professors. In his reply letter, President XI Jinping said, since its establishment, USTB has made positive contributions to the development of our country’s iron and steel industry. On the 70^th anniversary of the founding of USTB, I would like to extend warm congratulations and sincere greetings to you and to all the faculty, staff, students, as well as alumni of USTB!

President XI Jinping pointed out that the cultivation of a large number of talents of both virtue and ability is a must to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. I hope that you will continue to carry forward the spirit of rigorous research and dedicated teaching, make the best of your school's unique features, strive for excellence, and nurture more high-caliber talent with high ideals, professional competence and strong will to serve the country, who remain true to the Party. In this way, the USTB can make greater contributions to the innovative, green and low-carbon development of the steel industry and the initiatives to build China into a leader in science, technology and manufacturing.

The On-spot Conference

The celebrations began at 10am with the National Anthem.

The On-spot Conference

Mr. HUANG Mengfu, Honorary Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Vice Chairman of the 10^th and 11^th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, former Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and alumnus of USTB;  Mr. LIU Xiaofeng, Vice Chairman of the 12^th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Executive Vice Chairman of the 15^th Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, and alumnus of USTB;  Mr. SONG Demin, Member of the CPC and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education; and Dr. XIA Linmao, Member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Education Working Committee, attended the meeting.

Mr. WU Guilong presided over the conference.

Mr. WU Guilong, Chancellor of USTB presided over the conference.

Mr. SONG Demin’s Speech

Mr. SONG Demin, member of the Party Group and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, read out the reply Letter from President XI Jinping at the conference. In his speech, Mr. SONG pointed out that President XI’s letter to the veteran professors of USTB fully reflected the great concern of President XI and the Party Central Committee for the cause of building higher education and the affection for the USTB teachers and students, thus providing USTB with an action plan and fundamental guidelines for promoting the university's high-quality development at a new starting point.

He also stressed that USTB was born in the cradle of the Chinese iron and steel industry, grew up in the vigorous development of national science and education, and advanced in the process of achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. USTB has been resonating with our country and nation, moving in the same direction, and making outstanding contributions to the growth of the iron and steel industry. In the new era and new journey, USTB should be based on the Two Grate Situations, keeping with the greatness of our country in mind, firmly grasp the direction of socialist education, fully implement the fundamental task of establishing moral education for students, focus on strengthening the building of first-class faculty, and actively serve the major strategic needs of our country. In such efforts, USTB will play a greater role in achieving a high level of national scientific and technological self-reliance.

Dr. XIA Linmao’s Speech

Dr. XIA Linmao, member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Education Working Committee, highlighted in his speech that the Reply Letter, written to the veteran professors of USTB by President XI Jinping, fully reflected the affectionate care and great commitment of President XI Jinping, and was also a great incentive and encouragement to the Beijing universities and education in the capital. He also stated that over the past 70 years, USTB has actively served the development of the capital, promoted the integration of science and education and the combination of industry and education, and made important contributions to strengthening the building of Beijing as “four centers” and encouraging the collaborative development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. Looking to the future, I hope that USTB will be guided by President XI Jinping’s important remarks on education, science and technology, and the spirit of his important reply Letter to USTB, to set a benchmark in adhering to the overall leadership of the Party and an example in nurturing students and talents for our Party and our country, to achieve the first-class in promoting high-quality development, and to be at the forefront in serving the building of Beijing as “four centers”. Therefore, USTB will make a new and greater contribution to forging the iron as the backbone underpinning a strong science, technology and manufacturing nation.

Prof. YANG Renshu’s Speech

In his speech, Prof. YANG Renshu, President of USTB, extended his greetings and festive wishes to all students, faculty and staff as well as alumni at home and abroad. He said that the letter from President XI Jinping fully affirmed the achievements of the University of Science and Technology Beijing over the past 70 years, which fully reflected the concern and love of President XI Jinping and the Party Central Committee for the university, and the university was greatly encouraged and inspired. YANG Renshu reviewed the development and achievements of USTB over the past 70 years, in which USTB has always made serving the country its highest pursuit, standing on the trend of the times and acting as a creator and bearer in the wave of higher education reform and development. In the new journey, we will fully implement the Party’s education policy, adhere to the direction of socialism, inherit the red gene of “cradle of iron and steel, seeking truth and innovation”, insist on the establishment of moral education, carry forward the fine tradition of rigorous study, respect practice, stick to our university’s openness and inclusiveness, practice the grate quality of pursuing excellence, striving for the first, persist to the thought of “characterization, quality and internationalization”, actively serve for our national strategy, and continuously improve the quality of talent training. Guided by XI Jinping’s Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, we will closely unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade XI Jinping at its core, and under the strong leadership of the Ministry of Education and Beijing Municipality, adhere to its characteristics and strive for excellence, thus making a new and greater contribution to forging the iron backbone of making our country into a strong scientific and technological, manufacturing one, and to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We will welcome the 20^th CPC National Congress with our practical action.

Prof. WANG Xiqin’s Speech

Prof. WANG Xiqin, President of Tsinghua University, delivered a speech on behalf of the universities in China, pointing out that Tsinghua University and University of Science and Technology Beijing connecting with deep roots, linking in blood and spirits. For a long time, both universities have taken patriotism, dedication and service to our country as our mission, and the rigor and truth-seeking and the pursuit of excellence as our great qualities. We have been supporting with each other, and jointly marching forward on the nurturing talents and teaching as well as the science research. From this new starting point, Tsinghua University is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation and work together with USTB to nurture students and talents for our Party and our country, and to make new contributions to achieving the second centenary goal, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and promoting the progress of human civilization.

Prof. Ulrich Rüdiger’s Video Speech

Prof. Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, delivered a speech via video on behalf of the foreign universities. He highly praised the university's contribution to talent training and East-West cultural exchange over the past 70 years. He said that RWTH Aachen and USTB have established a strategic partnership since 1979 and that the cooperation and exchange have flourished and achieved significant results. He looked forward to a closer and more practical international cooperation with the University of Science and Technology Beijing and wished the friendship of the two universities as a long-lasting green tree and for our cooperation to be more fruitful results.

Mr. CHEN Derong’s Video Speech

Mr. CHEN Derong, an alumnus, a student of Ironmaking in 1977 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baowu Group, spoke via video, saying that his alma mater has always taken “strengthening the country through steel and educating talents for our nation” as its mission, passing on the red gene of the first higher education institution of the steel industry in New China and the fine tradition of rigorous study and respect practice to from generation to generation, thus making our good reputation as the cradle of steel even more remarkable and constantly, injecting the strength of the new era, and manifesting our mission and responsibility in the new era. We wish our alma mater a prosperous future with new achievements and further glory.

Prof. SHEN Zhengchang’s Speech

Speaking on behalf of the alumni, Prof. SHEN Zhengchang, a student of mining machinery in 1978, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and a member of Beijing Mining and Metallurgy Technology Group, said that he would take President XI Jinping’s important letter of reply to USTB professors as guidance, remember and inherit the spirit of USTB motto of Seeking Truth and Striving for Innovation, and contribute to making our country into a high scientific, technological and manufacturing one.

Prof. DONG Chaofang’s Speech

Prof. DONG Chaofang, Professor of the Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology of USTB, a representative of teachers, reviewed her study and working experience at her alma mater and expressed her gratitude to it. She said that as a representative of teachers, she would bear in mind the ardent request of President XI Jinping’s reply letter, be rigorous in her studies, be willing to serve as a ladder for others, nurture people for the Party and our country, and strive to build USTB into a distinctive and important world-class university as soon as possible!

Choral singing The Splendid Chapter of USTB

Seventy student representatives offered a speech to USTB, expressing their birthday wishes to USTB and making a youthful vow of seeking truth and making new, renewing the chapter for the USTB students of the new era. At the end of the conference, all the students sang  The Splendid Chapter of USTB  chorally to celebrate the successful conclusion of the conference.    

The conference was attended by heads of relevant departments, academicians of the two Academies, heads of relevant districts and cities, leaders of sister institutions and research institutes, heads of enterprises, industry associations and societies, founding fathers and veteran leaders, representatives of alumni, people from all walks of life, representatives of retired staff, representatives of students and teachers, etc. Alumni, teachers and students from home and abroad and friends from all walks of life watched the conference online through the online platform.

Draft: MA Qing

Revesion: CHENG Mingyuan