Guangdong Guoqiang Public Welfare Foundation makes donation to Tsinghua University
On the morning of October 22nd, the ceremony of Guangdong Guoqiang Public Welfare Foundation’s donation to Tsinghua University was held at Tsinghua University. Guangdong Guoqiang Public Welfare Foundation will donate RMB 2.2 billion yuan to Tsinghua University over the next 10 years to support the university’s basic frontier research, talent training and high-end talent introduction to boost Tsinghua’s development. It is reported that this is the largest single donation to universities in China so far. On the same day, the ground-breaking ceremony for the “Guoqiang Building” was held.
Signing the donation agreement
Hua Jianmin, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress and Chairman of Tsinghua University’s Committee of Strategic Development; Teng Teng, former Vice President of Tsinghua University, former Vice Director of the State Scientific and Technological Commission and former Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) ; Yeung Kwok Keung, Founder of Guangdong Guoqiang Public Welfare Foundation, Honorary Trustee of Tsinghua University, and Chairman of the Country Garden Group, Yang Huiyan, Tsinghua alumna and Vice Chairman of the Country Garden Group, and Chen Chong, Tsinghua alumnus, Chairman of Guangdong Guoqiang Public Welfare Foundation and Non-executive Director of the Country Garden Group, President of Tsinghua University Qiu Yong, Vice President You Zheng and representatives of teachers and students attended the ceremony. Yang Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University and Chairman of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, presided over the ceremony.
President Qiu Yong presented plates commemorating the donation to Mr. Yeung Kwok Keung.
Chen Chong and Yuan Wei, Secretary-General of the Tsinghua University Education Foundation, signed the donation agreement on behalf of both parties, and Qiu Yong presented plates commemorating the donation to Yeung Kwok Keung, Yang Huiyan and Chen Chong.
Yeung Kwok Keung delivered a speech
Mr. Yeung Kwok Keung noted that as an entrepreneur who grew up from being an ordinary farmer at the time of Reform and Opening, he was very proud to repay society, contribute to the country and support the development of education, and was very glad to do something for fostering talent and innovation by making a donation to Tsinghua University. The development of an enterprise, in the final analysis, benefitted from the progress of the country and society and from the emergence of more excellent talent. He and his family felt very happy to take their share of responsibility for promoting scientific and technological innovation and education development, promoting national productivity and competitiveness, and serving national innovation and world progress.
Qiu Yong delivered a speech
President Qiu said that RMB 2.2 billion donation was the largest sum ever donated to a Chinese university. The donation is of great significance to both China and Tsinghua, and reflects Mr. Yeung Kwok Keung's aspirations and sense of responsibility as an entrepreneur and a famous philanthropist. Behind this generous donation are the aspirations for promoting innovation and talent. Our world today is undergoing new changes and facing great challenges, which require innovative thinking. As important sources for research and major scientific and technological breakthroughs, universities must take the initiative to fulfill their key responsibility to innovate and serve their country. Dedication to one’s country and the pursuit of excellence are traditions that Tsinghua University proudly upholds. Tsinghua has taken the lead in launching extensive reforms, speeding up the development of Double First-Class (First-Class University and First-Class Disciplines)" development plan, further promoting talent cultivation, improving innovation ability and addressing the country’s most critical needs. The development of universities cannot be separated from the support of all sectors of society. By focusing on the country’s most urgent needs and embracing cutting-edge scientific and technological fields, Tsinghua will focus on research in fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics, and attract and train top talents most needed for the country’s development. With such support from society, Tsinghua’s future will be all the more glorious, and its faculty and students can make even greater contributions to the advancement and transformation of the Chinese nation.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the “Guoqiang Building”
Guangdong Guoqiang Public Welfare Foundation and the Country Garden Group have been supporting the construction and development of Tsinghua University, having donated many times to Tsinghua University since 2007. In April 2016, on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of Tsinghua University, the Country Garden Group made a donation to establish the “Tsinghua University–Country Garden Education Fund” for scientific and technological innovation, the transformation of scientific research achievements, talent training and education for poverty alleviation. In 2017, the Group donated money again to support the construction of the “Guoqiang Building” at Tsinghua University.
