Xi urges building China's strength in education, sci-tech, talent

BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for focusing on the major strategic needs of the country and making new contributions to building China's strength in education, science and technology, and talent.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to the faculty and students of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University and Beijing Jiaotong University.

In the letter, Xi noted that these four universities are connected by their shared roots, and are jointly celebrating their 130th founding anniversaries this year. He extended congratulations to all the faculty members, students and alumni of the four universities.

Xi emphasized the importance of strengthening independent sci-tech innovation and talent cultivation, urging efforts to achieve more breakthroughs in promoting closer collaboration among industries, universities and research institutions.