Speech by Dean Men Honghua

At the 2020 Freshmen Opening Ceremony of the School of Political 

Science & International Relations, Tongji University

Dear Students and Colleagues,

Today, we are here to hold the 2020 Freshmen Opening Ceremony of the School of Political Science & International Relations (SPSIR) of Tongji University. First of all, on behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to welcome the new students to join our family of SPSIR, and welcome the senior students to return to the School after the pandemic and start a new journey in your study and research career!

The year 2020 was destined to be unusual and eventful. At the beginning of the New Year, the COVID-19 raged in Wuhan and swept across the country. In the past eight months, the Chinese people have been fighting arduously against COVID-19. 1.4 billion Chinese people united to fight the pandemic, spared no effort to protect people's life safety and health, shared China's experience with the rest of the world without reservation, and provided active assistance to the international community. After the haze of the pandemic, we have the sunshine and rainbow. Gratifyingly, after going through so many difficulties and hardships, you have come back to our academic hall. Welcome back!

As the saying goes, “however many foes can't bend our will”. The spirit and wisdom of Chinese people in the fight against the pandemic are shining on you. You began with a physical and spiritual experience in the process of overcoming adverse conditions, and persevered in learning despite the hard knocks; as a member of SPSIR, you are brave and resolute, looking for self-determination in the uncertainty of the world. In high and vigorous spirits, you have demonstrated boundless enthusiasm and worked hard to embark on a new academic journey. As the youth of the new era, you think about the future from the perspective of the history, explore the responsibilities in the new era, and sprinkle the enthusiasm of youngsters that always march forward! Come on, youngsters!

The world today is full of uncertainties. In the face of the profound changes unseen in a century, factors such as the shifts in power, issues and paradigms as well as national development, international relations adjustment and order transformation are reshaping the direction of the world. With the intensification of strategic competition between China and the United States and the global spreading of COVID-19, the interaction between China and the rest of the world has become increasingly close. In addition, the risks and challenges facing China have come together and the external environment for China's peaceful development has undergone drastic changes. The increasingly complex changes in the external environment leave China with a critical choice. For China, it is now a defining moment for the great national rejuvenation, and a critical stage of overcoming obstacles. It is a tough time necessary for China to become a world power. In the face of the profound changes unseen in the past century and the perplexing international relations, only by upholding strategic determination and bottom-line thinking, and comprehensively promoting strategic innovation without distracted by temporary problems, can China achieve strategic breakthrough, demonstrate its consciousness of responsibility and pave a sound way for the realization of national rejuvenation.

It is not only the mission of our country, but also the responsibility of you and us individuals to deal with the profound changes unseen in the past century. The interweaving of the drastic changes of the world with the two centenary goals is not only the external situation facing our School, but also the strategic opportunity for us to shape the development of political discipline, sociology department and the School. The changes of the times give birth to new opportunities for the development of our discipline. The demand for political science includes intellectual support for the modernization of national governance system and capacity, and knowledge base for exerting the comparative advantages of China's political system; the demand for an international vision includes a thinking bridge between global trends and international trends, and strategic judgment on the future trend of China's interaction with the rest of the world; the demand for sociology includes theoretical preparation for the improvement of China's social governance system and social stability as a whole, and a professional perspective for the enhancement of the country's social service capacity. All of you are destined to become a new force in the relay race of 'realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation', and a booster of the interaction between China and the rest of the world. In this race against time, the School of Political Science & International Relations will always be the rock you can count on.

Our School came into being in the time of national prosperity, prospered in the centenary of Tongji development, and accumulated its cultural deposits at the decisive moment of national rejuvenation. As a pioneer in academic development, it is committed to building an academic stronghold with extraordinary influence in China in the new era. Since its founding 11 years ago, the School has been forging ahead in spite of all the hardships, and has become the standard-bearer of Tongji liberal arts, the outstanding representative in political science and international relations in Shanghai, and a backbone of political science in China. The 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) is a golden period for the unconventional development of our School. Under the new, strong leadership of the Party and government, the School adheres to the fundamental task of strengthening moral education and cultivating talents, the working philosophy of openness, fairness and justice, and the tenet of “building the School on sound institutions, prospering it through academic excellence, making it stronger through discipline development, and putting students first”. The School seeks development with a goal-oriented approach, promotes reform with a problem-oriented approach, and focus on promoting connotative development and making outstanding achievements in discipline development, institutional assurance, scientific research, talent cultivation, social services, international exchanges, cultural inheritance, etc., to embark on the journey of all-round development.

 During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the School actively engaged in the systematic reform, strategic planning and overall development, adhered to the strategic thinking of “balancing China’s domestic and international interests”, proactively implemented the strategy of differentiated development, and strengthened the research characteristics of 'governance and strategy'. In this way, it has grown into a strategic research platform with domestic and international influence, and made one strategic breakthrough after another. In January 2018, the School was approved to set up a primary discipline authorized to offer doctoral degree program in political science. In July 2018, it was approved to set up a Base for Research on International Cyberspace Governance by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) & the Ministry of Education (MOE), which was Tongji’s first national research base of liberal arts (ten universities in China have obtained such approval). In September 2019, the primary discipline postdoctoral research station in political science was established upon official approval by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) and the National Postdoctoral Management Committee of China. The above strategic platforms signify that the School has been well positioned for discipline development and upgrading. After “standing up” successfully, it is marching towards a new era of “becoming stronger”.

The School continues to play a leading role in China & world studies, research on the international theory and practice of Marxism, Asia-Pacific studies with a focus on East Asia, etc., and has gained a growing influence in the field of European studies in combination with the overall advantages of Tongji University. The School has a teaching team with an optimized expertise structure, a reasonable age hierarchy, a certain level of teaching and research, and strong academic influence at home and abroad, which is quite distinctive in China & world studies and global governance; the School has achieved fruitful results in personnel training, scientific research and social services; the School actively carries out foreign exchanges, and extensive cooperation with universities, research institutions and relevant think tanks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and other countries, transitioning to a new era of 'point-to-line' opening up in terms of international exchanges. Guided by the fundamental task of strengthening moral education and cultivating talents, the School is committed to cultivating elites with a global vision and strategic thinking, who are able to provide innovative, interdisciplinary solutions to major practical problems, and have a good knowledge of national governance and international affairs, to meet the major strategic needs of the country. Our graduates have a significantly improved comprehensive quality and broad employment prospects. The orientation of the School can be summarized as follows. First, it is an active and confident standard-bearer and leader in the liberal arts of Tongji University featuring rapid development, strong presence and high degree of identification, and has become widely noticed and highly recognized; Second, it is now an outstanding representative in political science and international relations in Shanghai, and has risen from a nobody in Shanghai academic circles to a leader that cannot be ignored; Third, it has become a backbone force respected by peer colleges and schools nationwide, maintaining a good reputation as 'one of the most active schools of political science and international studies in China' based on the knockout brand of China & world studies, and become a top emerging school of political science in China.

 Dear students, you were born at a time when our country was booming, and you are destined to be linked with the rise of China; you grew up during the period of national rejuvenation, so you should undertake the mission of changing the world by birth. You will be a new force to support the national rejuvenation and blow the horn of change. Here are my expectations of you.

By attaining knowledge through studying the essence of things, a wise man cannot be misled. In the new era, you should closely observe the national and world conditions, adhere to self-cultivation, pay attention to the trend of social development, make a clear distinction between right and wrong and drive out evil elements and usher in good ones. You should, based on the principles of studying the nature of things and keeping faithful, be committed to self-improvement, teamwork and contribution to the society and world.

The gathering of prominent talents in times of crisis gives birth to outstanding strategies. In a world of great uncertainty, only by keeping calm and broadening the horizon can we hold on to the pure land of the soul to accommodate our great ambitions. In the academic paradise provided by the School of Political Science & International Relations, we expect you to fly and soar freely, adhere to the cognitive path of understanding the past, living in the present and looking into the future, temper your strategic thinking of never being distracted by temporary problems, and build an international vision and a strategic sense of foresight.

Ordain conscience for Heaven and Earth; secure life and fortune for the people. Only those who cultivate great virtue can deliver a great cause. You are expected to mind the world while being firmly grounded. “If you want to build a tower, you must have a broad foundation.” Only interdisciplinary thinking and multidisciplinary integration can help you maintain academic vitality, develop forward-looking and innovative thinking, and hold the golden key to your future.

Dear students, the convergence of the three 'centenaries' will bring you not only opportunities for academic development, but also multi-dimensional challenges! “Reach the top, then you can hold all mountains in a single glance!” As long as you are ambitious, competent and responsible, our country will be promising and our world will have a bright future. I sincerely wish you to become a trailblazer and contributor in your new journey here in the new era and embrace your wonderful life! Let's work together to create a new glory for the School of Political Science & International Relations!

Thank you!