After seventy years of unchanging aspiration and upholding virtues, labor and innovation, at 9:30 a.m. on October 13, accompanied by the solemn national anthem, our school celebrated its 70th anniversary grandly in the auditorium of Zhiyuan Building, Beijing campus. We were honored with instructions by Wang Dongming, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, and the attendance of Li Yufu, secretary of the party group, vice chairman, and first secretary of the secretariat. Leaders of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, leaders of education authorities, representatives of more than 40 domestic and foreign universities and cooperative units, responsible comrades of all departments of the ACFTU, all industrial unions in the association, directly affiliated units in Beijing, 19 provincial (regional) city labor unions and provincial representatives of trade union colleges, all school leaders, faculty and staff representatives, student representatives and alumni representatives attended the event, aggregating some 1,000 participants.
In Wang Dongming's instructions, he pointed out that "in the 70 years since the establishment of the China University of Labor Relations, under the care of the CPC Central Committee, it has adhered to a correct political direction, to Chinese characteristics, labor characteristics, labor union characteristics, and has achieved excellent results in all aspects such as teaching and scientific research. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations and my sincerest greetings to all teachers and students! I hope that the university will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply to the undergraduate class of model workers, remember its original aspiration, keep in mind its mission, carry forward its traditions and stay to its characteristics, so that it can build itself into an important base for training high-quality application-oriented talents and union cadres, and into a high-end think tank in the field of labor relations and labor union work. Looking forward to seeing you make new and greater contribution to the cause of our party and country!"
Li Yufu affirmed the achievements of our school over the past 70 years in his speech. He pointed out that the school has made important contributions to improving the quality of trade union cadres, advancing the development of the party's labor movement and trade union work, building harmonious labor relations, and serving the country's economic and social development. It is necessary to implement the requirements of Comrade Wang Dongming, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s reply to the undergraduate model workers, remember our original aspiration, keep in mind our mission, carry forward our traditions and adhere to our characteristics, so that we can become an important base for training high-quality application-oriented talents and union cadres, and a high-end think tank in the field of labor relations and labor union work in order to make new and greater contribution to the cause of our party and country.
Li Yufu emphasized that our school is of highest status in the trade union system directly under the All-China Federation of Trade Unions. We must always put politics in the first place, study and implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, integrate ideological values throughout the entire education and teaching process, and continue to put General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the working class and trade union work into textbooks, into classes and into our minds. The implementation, research and interpretation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s reply, as well as the guidance on teachers and students to continuously enhance the "four consciousnesses", strengthen the "four self-confidences", and achieve the "two safeguards", is also to be taken seriously.
Li Yufu also pointed out that the school must do a good job in teaching and education, insist on training high-quality application-oriented talents and high-quality trade union cadres, combine the development of model labor education with the role of model workers, and earnestly explore development paths, distinctive advantages and fine traditions. It is necessary to further build think tanks in the field of labor relations and trade unions; provide talent and intellectual support for trade unions' theoretical innovation, institutional innovation, and practical innovation; comprehensively improve the quality of party construction; carry out education on the theme of "remembering our original intention and keeping in mind our tasks", and inherit our red gene, carry forward our fine traditions, and continuously promote the innovation and development of our school.
Liu Wei, President of Renmin University of China, delivered a speech on behalf of domestic cooperative universities and expressed his warm congratulations. In his speech, he said that our school and Renmin University share the same red gene, share a common task, share the same origin and share weal and woe. We have witnessed together the prosperous years from the founding of the PRC to the take-off of a new era. Practicing the glorious mission of educating people for the party and the country, the two schools have supported each other and developed together in academic exchanges, talent training and cadre training, achieved fruitful results, and forged a deep friendship.
Professor Nina Kuzmina, vice chairman of the Russian Federation of Independent Trade Unions and principal of the Russian School of Labor and Social Relations, sent sincere wishes on behalf of foreign cooperative universities. In her speech, she affirmed our school’s efforts in cultivating outstanding trade union officials, economic experts and scholars on social and economic development issues. She sincerely hoped that our exchanges can serve as opportunities to further promote cooperation between Chinese and Russian youths, promote the development of high-quality education and science between China and Russia, and promote bilateral cooperation to a new height.
Liu Xiangbing, secretary of the School Party Committee, reviewed our school’s 70 years of glorious history and achievements in his speech while paying respects to the pioneers and predecessors of the university as well as expressing heartfelt thanks to the leaders, faculty and staff for caring about our development. He pointed out that our school has grown from a trade union cadre training school to a university with profound trade union education, outstanding labor discipline advantages, excellent quality of talent training, and a reputation for distinctive development. He emphasized that our school now consciously adheres to the mission of talent training, scientific research, social service, cultural inheritance and innovation, international exchanges and cooperation, and has achieved significant results respectively. On the way forward, he suggests our school "build morality" and strengthen its foundation so as to further improve quality and radiate vigorous vitality; "maintain integrity" and consolidate its basic principles so as to further promote our characteristics and cultivate core competitiveness; "respect hard work" and continue to work tirelessly so as to enhance social influence; drive by "innovation" so as to further emancipate our mind, generate creativity, and learn from world-class and top-ranking universities in China while competing with them. He expects our school to follow the lead of first-class universities in the world and in China, reach the level of universities with characteristics of respective fields, and strive for the first place in universities for labor relations and trade unions.
Followed were speeches by Ruan Huailou, alumni representative of 1988 labor law graduates, vice chairman of the Anhui Federation of Trade Unions, professor Wen Xiaoyi, teachers' representative and dean of the School of Labor Relations and Human Resources, and Wang Hongyan, 2017 undergraduate of Chinese language and literature. They all expressed their gratitude and love to our school and their willingness to contribute to our future development by actual actions under the guidance of the spirit of the letter from General Secretary Xi Jinping to the undergraduate class of model workers.
The section of presenting flowers to the representatives of the founders of our school was carried out solemnly. We expressed our highest respects to the first batch of 18 teachers, cadres and employees of our school, Gao Huifeng, Liu Miao, Wang Xinsheng, Fang Qing, Wu Zongsheng, Hao Qinggui, Liu Zigao, Zhao Guorong, Guo Jingtian, He Sheng, Li Dunzhi, Yang Kehua, Luo Jianyi, Gao Yingjie, Wang Meiqi, Bi Yushen, Zhao Hongen, and Yang Yaozhong. Secretary Li Yufu presented honor certificates to each of the 11 representatives of the founders, followed by representatives of young students presenting flowers.
"Both socialism and the new era are achieved by real work." So is the way to become a first-class university. In the new era, our school is embarking on a new journey with Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era guiding us. We will develop in accordance and share the same destiny with our nation, remember our original aspiration, keep in mind our mission, and work tirelessly to write a new chapter in "building a first-class and internationally renowned university in the field of labor relations and labor unions"! We will make new and greater contributions to the cause of China's labor movement and higher education, and to the great era of "labor supporting the Chinese dream"!
Party Committee Propaganda Department (News Center)