By Dr. Xu Zhihong, President of Peking University
Nov. 10, 2007
Respected President Komiyama Hiroshi,
Distinguished Guests,
Faculty and Students,
Today, it’s my great honor to be here with you to celebrate the 130th Anniversary of the University of Tokyo. Here, on behalf of Peking University, I would like to extend warm congratulations to my friends at the University of Tokyo on your long and distinguished history.
In the past 130 years, the University of Tokyo has made remarkable contribution not only to your country and region, also to the world. It fosters a pipeline of graduates, who constitutes the backbone of the nation, in politics, in economy, and in academic professions. And the University with its tens of thousands of faculty, students and alumni, contributes to the development of Asia and other regions, actively engaging in the exploration of solutions to important problems facing all nations and all peoples.
Peking University is proud of its partnership with the University of Tokyo which began in 1985, when we first signed the agreement of academic exchage. But our relations began long before that. Since the early time of the twentieth century, Peking University had faculty members graduated from the University of Tokyo. They brought fresh ideas and scientific attitude to the teaching and research on campus at that time. Today, we have more faculty and students visiting and studying at your institution, working on joint research programs; while we host scholars and students from your university on our campus, to communicate, collabrate, and to harvest. Both groups of exchange personnel will return home, with a better understanding to each other’s institution and culture, and greater appreciation of our common humanity. I have faith in the friendship between Peking University and the University of Tokyo, and I look forward to more exchange and collaboration in the years to come.
Lastly, let me extend a special thanks to our host and friend, President Komiyama Hiroshi, for his hospitality in hosting our visits, and for making the University of Tokyo a leading university in the world, seeking academic excellence and willing to take global responsibilitis, to improve the human life and our environment.
I wish the University of Tokyo a ever-brilliant future.
Thank you!
