On the occasion of the 114th anniversary of the founding ofZhejiangUniversity, a grand foundation stone laying ceremony forChina-JapanYouthExchangeCenterwas held beside Qingxi dormitory block, Zi-jin-gang Campus of the university at 2:00 pm, May 25th, 2011.

A number of university leaders and distinguished guests attended the ceremony hosted by Prof. Si Jianmin, Vice President of Zhejiang University, including Prof. Jin Deshui, Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhejiang University, Mr. Tang Lilu, Vice Chairman of CPPCC of Zhejiang Province, Mr.Cao Qiyongand his family, Prof. Zhang Tuqiao, Vice President of Zhejiang University and Prof. Wang Li, Dean of the International College of the university.

Prof. Jin Deshui extended a warm welcome to all the guests present on behalf of all the university leaders and expressed heartfelt gratitude and respect to Mr.Cao Qiyongand his family who generously donated the fund for building the center. In his speech, Prof Jin said the Cao��s family is a well-known patriotic one who has made great contributions toChina��s opening up and reform and modernization. Mr.Cao Qiyong, just like his father, Mr.Cao Guangbiao, is a man of strong patriotic feelings and high sense of social responsibility. Mr.Cao Qiyongespecially pays attention to the relationship betweenChinaandJapanand focuses on the youth and looks into the future. He, taking his own study-in-Japan experiences as an example, tells off his own understanding towards Chinese and Japanese cultures and his ardent expectations that the exchange between the young generations of the two countries can be expanded. And he is now turning his expectation into reality with his passion and charitable act.

ZhejiangUniversitywill make a rational plan to carry out the construction carefully and complete the project with high quality on schedule.

Mr.Cao Qiyongexpressed his hope that with the establishment of the exchange center, the exchange between the young people fromChinaandJapanwill be strengthened and the collaboration between Chinese and Japanese universities will be deepened. The center will play an important role in improve the mutual understanding and trust between the young people of the two countries and thus benefit the friendship of the two countries.