On the afternoon of July 6, Huaqiao University (HQU) held a caucus arranged by the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Xiamen campus to announce the decision on the restructure of HQU leadership lineup. Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee and Director of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, presided over the meeting and delivered a speech.

A leading cadre of the Cadre Bureau of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee announced the decision of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee to appoint Xu Xipeng as HQU Party Secretary and Vice President and Wu Jianping as HQU President and deputy Party Secretary, and to remove Guan Yifan from his positions as Party Secretary and Vice President due to his age.

In his remarks, Xu Yousheng pointed out that the personnel change was made by the UFWD of CPC Central Committee after overall consideration and much thought of the need and development of HQU and the construction of its leadership. He emphasized that You Quan, Minister of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee, has attached great importance to and held high expectations on the construction of HQU leadership team, and that the current restructure is to strengthen the leadership. He highly commended Guan Yifan for his contributions to the development of the university. He said, Guan has devoted his youth to HQU in the last 30-plus years out of deep affection for the university. Especially in his tenure as Party chief, he has led HQU to reform and innovate while sticking firmly to the mission of nurturing personnel and talent for the Party and the nation, and the basic task of educating students both morally and intellectually. The university has since then achieved new breakthroughs and results in party building, teaching and research, discipline construction and the construction of teaching staff. The management and service systems of the university are ever optimizing, and the strength of schooling is ever increasing. With every aspect of the university thrives, he has won praise from cadres and staff as well. Xu Yousheng expressed his respect and appreciation for what Guan has done.

Xu Yousheng then remarked that Xu Xipeng holds a strong political consciousness; that his long-term dedication to higher education has bestowed him rich experience in the teaching and research and discipline construction of higher education, and solid professional foundation and scientific literacy, with some impact on his own research fields; and that he works with a clear mind, lives with integrity, and is easy-going and self-disciplined. Xu Yousheng also said that Wu Jianping has maintained political integrity and gained experience from multiple positions during his years at Tsinghua University. He then was transferred to the Central Institute of Socialism in 2017. He is experienced in education and training and management of higher learning institutions. In work, he is clearheaded, responsible and dedicated. He has a good organizational capability and coordinating ability. He values research and is good at policy research. He also enjoys good mass base. The UFWD of CPC Central Committee believes the leadership reshuffle is a positive practice in that HQU, under the leadership of Xu Xipeng and other leading cadres, is bound to inherit and promote its fine tradition and open a new chapter. Xu Yousheng hoped that all the staff in HQU will unify their thoughts and work together to implement the decisions made by the ministerial meeting of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee, maintain their political consciousness, Party spirit and discipline and fully support the work of Xu Xipeng and Wu Jianping.

On behalf of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee, Xu Yousheng imposed three requirements on HQU as to implementing the spirit of the CPC Central Committee documents. First, HQU should strengthen the overall leadership of the CPC and stick to correct political direction. The university should study in depth and carry out the principles of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially those in the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at Jinan University. HQU should also adhere to the path of socialism and patriotism, perform the duty of educating students both morally and intellectually, and integrate the core values of socialism with the whole process of education and teaching. It should also make use of new ideas to guide the operation of school and the nurturing of talent, to arm the minds of teachers and students and to guide practice, with the hope that teachers and students will steadily strengthen their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, uphold the leadership core, and keep in alignment ("four consciousnesses"); that they will fortify our confidence in the socialist path, theories, system and culture with Chinese characteristics ("four confidences"); and that they will firmly maintain the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core ("two maintenance"). Second, HQU should highlight its feature of serving overseas Chinese, promote the construction of world-class university and world-class discipline (double first-class) and achieve high-level development. The university should give full play to the advantage as a university serving overseas Chinese by recruiting more Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas Chinese students, optimizing the resource distribution, innovating the training mode and deepening cultural foundations so that they will strengthen their national identity and cultural confidence, harbor feelings for their family and nation, and serve as a bridge in the promotion of Chinese culture. Meanwhile, the university should work hard to promote the construction of "double first-class" and high-level development for the aspiration of an elite university that features serving overseas Chinese. Third, HQU should promote its fine tradition and enhance unity and collaboration. HQU leaders and cadres of all levels are expected to unify their thoughts and action in the implementation of the principles of the ministerial meeting of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee, and set store by the overall interests. They should also inherit and promote the fine tradition that the old HQUers share to dedicate their heart and soul to the long-term development of the university and to the innovative development of the cause of united front and education of the Party and the nation by fully supporting the work of new leadership and by working together to improve the teaching and research level.

Guan Yifan recalled affectionately his life and work in HQU and expressed his gratitude to the organizations and leaders at all levels for their education, cultivation and trust, and to the leaders and all the staff and students of HQU for their understanding and support. He spoke of his willingness to consistently care for and support the development of the university in the future.

Xu Xipeng said he will firmly support and obey the decision of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee. On behalf of all the staff and students of HQU, he also expressed his gratitude to all the contributions Guan Yifan has made to the cause of HQU and extended warm welcome to Wu Jianping. "The Party Secretary means increased responsibilities and a greater challenge." He expressed his determination to perform his duty as the Party chief of the university according to the requirements of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee, Ministry of Education and the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Fujian Provincial People’s Government. Together with President Wu Jianping, he will unify leaders at all levels and all the staff and students of the university, thoroughly study and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the principles of the 19th CPC National Congress, constantly improve political position, strengthen "four consciousnesses", fortify "four confidences" and realize "two maintenance". He will adhere to the path of socialism and patriotism and perform the duty of educating students both morally and intellectually. He will promote the building of leadership team, cadre team and talent team, stick to and improve the president responsibility system under the leadership of Party committee and create a proper atmosphere that facilitates the work of staff and the development of talent. He will be strict with himself and subject to supervision, work relentlessly in a sensible way to push the development of the university onto a new stage.

Wu Jianping expressed his gratitude to the trust of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee. He will live up to the trust, firmly implementing the president responsibility system under the leadership of Party committee, staying true to our founding mission, and performing his duty and working conscientiously. He will stick to the overall leadership of the Party and the socialist path of schooling. He will promote high-quality development of the university according to the law of education. He will also persist in the mass line and maintain loyalty and integrity.

Over 200 people attended the meeting, including relevant leaders from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Bureau of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee and the Department of Organization of CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, comrades concerned from the UFWD of CPC Central Committee and the Education Commission of CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, all HQU's leadership, those who have left their leading posts in the last three years and all middle-level cadres of HQU.

Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee and Director of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, presides over the caucus and delivers a speech.

Photo of the Caucus