On March 23rd, German President Joachim Gauck visited Tongji University. Following his tour to an exhibition on Tongji University history, he delivered a speech to teachers and students and talked with them in German, expressing his wish for a brilliant future for both Germany and China.

Accompanied by Professor YANG Xianjin, party secretary general of Tongji University, Mr. Gauck visited the Siping Campus on the morning of March 23rd. At the exhibition hall, he wrote on a special guestbook “Thank you for your invitation. I have all respect for your academic achievements! I wish to see enhanced cooperation among universities between China and Germany!”

Mr. Gauck delivered a speech at the lecture hall of Yifu Building. He said that his speech at Tongji University which had traditional links with Germany gave him a chance to think further about the development of Germany-China partnership. Tongji University was established by a German doctor and could trace its root to Germany. It had made great contributions to the development of science and technology as well as education in China through joint efforts by German and Chinese people. At present, Tongji University has become a hub for Sino-German academic exchanges. He was impressed by the exhibition of the history of Tongji University, which gave him a better understanding of the university.

After his half-an-hour speech, Mr. Gauck and his company went to the newly-opened German Library inside the Sino-German Building of Tongji University, and talked in German with teachers and students there from Sino-German College for Graduate Studies, Sino-German College for Applied Sciences, German Center, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, School of Automotive Engineering and School of Foreign Languages.

Translated by May Language Studio based upon

http://news.tongji.edu.cn/classid-6-newsid-50573-t-show.html