On July 3, the School of Foreign Languages organized a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the China Association for International Cooperation in Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as the “CAICST”) for study and exchange. 

 

 

On the morning of July 3, a group of teachers and students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University entered the CAISTC. Mr. Mao Zhongying, former Consulate General of Science and Technology in Toronto, New York and Vancouver, and Science and Technology Counselor of the Embassy of Canada, Mr. Jiang Sunan, former Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of the United Kingdom, Mr. Jin Yuchen, Executive Vice President of Shanghai Jinqiao College, Mr. Ding Jian, Party Secretary of the SFL of SJTU, Mr. Ren Zhujing, Deputy Party Secretary of the SFL of SJTU, Mr. Su Liuliu, Director of the Student Affairs office of the SFL, as well as 16 SJTU students attended the symposium. The symposium was hosted by Sun Lijie, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of CIASTC.

Sun Lijie introduced the scope of responsibilities and work centers of CIASTC from various angles such as organizational structure, resources and cooperation mode, and focused on introducing the “Cradle of Science and Technology Diplomats Program” to the SJTU students. The program aims to cultivate and deliver a large number of science and technology-oriented “foreign language +” talents for foreign affairs work, to further strengthen China's discourse position in international scientific and technological cooperation in cutting-edge fields, and to store up talents for the new era of great power diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

 

Mr. Ding Jian introduced the brief situation of SJTU and the SFL. He said that rooted in the scientific and technological soil of SJTU, where literature and science were intertwined with each other, the SFL will carry out further and extensive cooperation with CAISTC in the joint training of diplomatic talents, and sent more young students to places where the motherland and the people need them the most.

 

Counselor Mao Zhongying and Counselor Jiang Sunan introduced to the students their experience of working abroad and shared their achievements and prospects in science and technology diplomacy and China's current international cooperation in science and technology. Mr. Jin Yuchen, as the general director of the “Cradle of Science and Technology Diplomats Program”, reviewed the implementation of the “House of Science and Technology Diplomats” and the practice of the United Nations Youth Headquarters, and looked forward to the “civil cooperation mode” of science and technology diplomacy. 

 

During the exchange session, students asked questions about the promotion of domestic science and technology development in the field of science and technology diplomacy, the cultivation of cross-disciplinary literacy, the work experience and career development of science and technology diplomats, and the cooperation between science and technology enterprises and research institutes, etc. The guest teachers gave full and professional responses, and the atmosphere was warm and relaxed.

On behalf of both sides, Ding Jian and Sun Lijie exchanged souvenirs.

On the afternoon of July 3, the teachers and students of SJTU entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to experience the magnificent diplomacy of a great nation. They first visited the Exhibition Hall of New China Diplomatic History Photo Documentation to understand China's diplomatic career all the way through hardships to brilliant achievements, gaining in-depth understanding of China's unremitting efforts in and great contributions to defending national sovereignty, maintianing world peace, and promoting common development.

 

Afterwards, SJTU teachers and students went into the “Blue Room” and listened to the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appreciating diplomatic style.

 

Through this research, the SJTU students have gained a clearer understanding of the historical achievements and development of the diplomacy of a great country with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and have also deeply realized the brand-new requirements for compound foreign language talents put forward by the increasingly complex international situation. The SFL will always be guided by Xi Jinping's thought on diplomacy, aiming at cultivating foreign language talents with a strong sense of mission, responsibility and dedication, and demonstrating the mission of the SFL in “connecting China and the world”.