In the afternoon of June 12, GermanChancellor Angela Merkel spoke at UCAS, the first stop of her ninth China visit during her tenure.
The 62-year-old German Chancellor is on her new China visit focusing on innovation and cooperation. UCAS is her first stop, where she gave an address on economic, trade and scientific collaboration expectations with China. At the end of her speech, Merkel answered questions asked by UCAS students and Students from Nanjing University.
Before the speech, an honorable doctorate degree was conferred on Merkel by Chen Jun, President of Nanjing University, witnessed by hundreds of students from Nanjing University.
Prof. Bai Chunli, President of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), delivered a welcome speech. He reviewed the history of cooperation between CAS and German scientific institutions, which dated back to 1970s. CAS has developed close relationship with the Max Planck Society (MPG), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the German Academic Exchange Service.
UCAS is the second University of China where Chancellor Merkel gave a speech. She spoke at Tsinghua University talking about Environment and sustainable development on July 8, 2014.
UCAS, led by CAS, is a unique university focusing on graduate education. There are currently 44, 500 students studying at UCAS. UCAS’s predecessor was GUCAS (the Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), the first graduate school in China. It boasts many firsts in new China: the first doctorate in science, the first doctorate in engineering, the first female student awarded a doctoral degree. UCAS has 1100 international students, among which are 736 international doctoral students, ranking first at China. UCAS has actively carried out scientific and educational cooperation with many German institutions of higher learning and sent hundreds of students to go to Germany to study each year.
President Bai Chunli expressed hope that collaboration between China and Germany will inject new vigor and vitality under the framework of One Belt One Road, motivate Chinese and German scholars and students to further cooperate with each other and carry forward Sino-German friendship.
During the visit, Merkel will host the 4th China-Germany intergovernmental consultations with Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
