Xi urges Sichuan University to leverage its strengths

President Xi Jinping has urged Sichuan University to leverage its interdisciplinary strengths to play a pioneering and exemplary role in serving national strategies.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent reply letter to the university's teachers and students, which was made public on Tuesday.

The letter came as the Chengdu-based university celebrated the 130th anniversary of its founding on Tuesday. In the letter, Xi congratulated the university's faculty members, students and alumni on the anniversary.

He noted that serving the country with dedication, taking root in western China and fostering talent through education are fine traditions of Sichuan University.

Xi expressed the hope that the university will carry forward its revolutionary legacy, leverage its strengths in interdisciplinary integration across humanities, sciences, engineering and medicine, and contribute to building China into a leading country in education, science and technology, and talent development.

The history of Sichuan University dates back to the Sichuan Chinese and Western School founded in 1896, the earliest institution of higher learning in Southwest China.

Faculty members and students of Sichuan University recently wrote a letter to Xi, in which they described the university's development and achievements in education. They expressed their determination to deeply root themselves in the western region of the country and dedicate themselves to the mission of education and serving the nation.

Sun Xujiang, a doctoral student in modern and contemporary Chinese literature at Sichuan University's College of Chinese Language and Literature, said that he was excited and inspired by Xi's reply letter.

"It enhances my understanding of the responsibilities and mission we bear as students of Sichuan University in the new era," Sun said.

Wang Wei, a teacher at Sichuan University's School of Chemical Engineering, said that Xi's reply letter has greatly inspired all faculty and students at the university to work diligently for greater achievements.

"We will focus on the frontiers of chemical engineering and industrial challenges, and fully leverage our interdisciplinary strengths to promote self-reliant innovation in areas such as energy chemical engineering, materials chemical engineering and biochemical engineering, contributing to national and regional development," he said.