On the afternoon of October 23, the signing ceremony for the strategic cooperation agreement between Nanjing University and Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (CHALCO) was held at the Xianlin Campus. Present at the ceremony were Tan Tieniu, Chair of NJU CPC Council and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as Duan Xiangdong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of CHALCO.
Tan Tieniu welcomed the arrival of Duan Xiangdong and his delegation, and expressed gratitude for CHALCO's longstanding support for the development of NJU. He pointed out that the university has always remembered General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest advice about rooting universities in the soil of China and has thoroughly implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi's important reply letter to young scholars returning from overseas. The university is accelerating the implementation of its "Forging Ahead Initiative" gradually establishing a spatial layout of "one university, two cities, four campuses", and advancing towards the goal of building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics, integrating diverse disciplines such as liberal arts, science, engineering, and medicine in a coordinated manner.
NJU and CHALCO are both important components of the nation's strategic scientific and technological power. Over the past four months, the two sides have engaged in multiple mutual visits and exchanges. This frequent interaction not only represents the deepening of their friendship but also reflects their pragmatic and sincere attitude towards collaboration. He expressed hope that the signing of the agreement will serve as an opportunity for both sides to focus on the significant strategic needs of the nation, implement the cooperation agreed upon in writing into practice, and work steadily, step by step. He anticipated mutual commitment and concerted efforts to jointly inaugurate a new phase of deep integration between the university and businesses and collectively write a new chapter in university-business cooperation in the new era.
Duan Xiangdong expressed his gratitude for NJU's warm reception and introduced the industrial development of CHALCO. He stated that CHALCO is deeply studying and implementing the important guidelines of General Secretary Xi Jinping. With a focus on the new missions and tasks outlined for centrally-administered state-owned enterprises in the new era and journey, CHALCO emphasizes technology innovation, mineral resources, advanced high-end materials, and green, low-cost, digital transformation as its "Four Pillars of Strength", striving to become a world-class mining and non-ferrous metal corporation. Nanjing University, with its rich historical and cultural heritage and its ethos of sincerity in academic conduct, has achieved remarkable results in fields such as artificial intelligence, geosciences, environmental science, new materials, and energy resources, aligning closely with CHALCO's development needs.
He expressed hope that the two sides will expedite the implementation of existing projects and deepen cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence, mineral extraction research, talent cultivation, and exchanges, driving the collaboration towards greater depth and achieving high-quality development together.
Guan Yongchang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of CHALCO; Dong Jianxiong, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of CHALCO; and Lu Xiancai, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC NJU Committee and Vice President of NJU, along with other participating representatives, conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as technology innovation, achievement transformation, talent cultivation, and industrial collaboration. It was unanimously agreed that this signing marks a new starting point in the cooperation between NJU and CHALCO. The strategic partnership serves as a practical move to deepen the integration of industry and education, empowering both technological innovation and industrial development.
Suo Wenbin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC NJU Committee and Vice President of NJU, chaired the symposium. Suo Wenbin and Dong Jianxiong signed the strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of their respective parties.
Prior to the ceremony, Duan Xiangdong and his delegation also visited the University History Museum at the Xianlin Campus, the National Key Laboratory of Novel Software Technology, and the National Key Laboratory of Key Earth Material Recycling and Metallogenesis to learn about the university's history and the progress made in its major scientific and technological platforms.
Relevant department heads from CHALCO, as well as heads of relevant departments and schools of NJU, attended the signing ceremony.
