On October 19, CUEB high-level forum on “Capital Development in the New Era” kicked off at Zhuoyu Auditorium on the main campus. Wang Shaofeng, Secretary of Fengtai District Party Committee, Beijing, gave the first report, and Wang Wenju, Secretary of CUEB Party Committee, presided over the forum.

The forum is an important initiative of CUEB Party Committee to further implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the 13th CPC Beijing Municipal Congress. It is an effective measure to consolidate and expand the achievements of themed education, deepening the study of  Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era . It is also a significant platform to promote high-quality development, deepen win-win cooperation between university and government, and thus to serve the nation’s strategic needs and the capital development in the new era.

Wang made a comprehensive report titled “Deepening University-Government Collaboration for Capital Development in the New Era” from four aspects: “How to understand the capital development in the New Era,” “The role of Fengtai in the capital development in the New Era,” “Fengtai’s current and future responsibilities,” and “How to deepen university-government collaboration”.

From the perspective of Fengtai District Government, Wang pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has inspected Beijing for ten times and made important remarks concerning Beijing on eighteen occasions on which he addressed the critical issue of “What China’s capital should be like and how to build it”. With the guidance of Xi, we can deeply understand “Four Shifts” in terms of development, namely the shift from the development of Beijing to the development of capital, the shift from independent development to the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the shift from gathering resources for growth to relieving non-capital functions for development, and the shift from city management to the governance of a mega city. These shifts have driven Beijing’s development in a profound and historic way, which are revealed in “Five Excelling”, namely excelling in capital development, safety and ecology, efficiency, innovation, and people’s well-being. Wang emphasized the importance of understanding the essence of the capital development in the new era, further strengthening the functions of the “Four Centers” (the capital’s position as the national political center, cultural center, center for international exchanges, and center for scientific and technological innovation) , enhancing the capacity to deliver “Four Services” (supporting departments and institutions of the CPC, the central government and military headquarters, facilitating international exchanges, developing science & technology and education, and working to better people’s life), fully implementing the new development philosophy, adhering to the “Five Initiatives” (building Beijing into a global center for innovation, developing the “two zones”, growing the digital economy, creating and stimulating demand through supply-side structural reform, and advancing coordinated development between Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei by relocating functions non-essential to Beijing’s role as the capital city) and integrating into the new development paradigm, so as to promote the high-quality capital development.

Wang Wenju presented Wang Shaofeng with a commemorative certificate

Regarding Fengtai’s position in the capital, Wang provided a detailed analysis of its administration and location. He emphasized that the accelerated development is a strategic opportunity for Fengtai as the developing center in southern Beijing. Fengtai’s function can be summarized as “Four Areas and One Hub”, namely, a vital guarantee area for high-quality living services in the capital, a new business area of capital, an area for the integrated development of technological innovation and financial services, a new urbanization development area led by history, culture and ecology, and a high-level comprehensive transport hub. Fengtai abounds with rich geographical, historical, and cultural resources, which endued it with profound cultural and spiritual deposits. The unique historical and natural resources of “Two Mountains and Two Rivers” (Yan Mountains, Taihang Mountains, Yongding River and Chaobai River), have endowed Fengtai with forthrightness. The revolutionary tradition of Lugou Bridge - Wanping Fortress and Changxindian have nurtured Fengtai’s resilience. Aerospace and aviation, finance, and technology innovation have cultivated Fengtai’s ambition. The convergence of transportation hubs and a good industrial chain have promoted Fengtai’s inclusiveness. The reading atmosphere within Fengtai has nourished Fengtai’s elegance. These five interconnected qualities have promoted Fengtai’s high-quality development.

In terms of Fengtai’s current and future responsibilities, Wang summarized four key aspects as follows:

1. Fengtai is vital in optimizing and expanding the capital function as a crucial node in the “Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on rails”.

2. Fengtai leads the development of Southern Beijing, possessing significant potential and latecomer advantages.

3. Within the downtown area of the capital, Fengtai boasts the most bountiful space resources. At present, there is accelerating construction of key functional districts like the South-Central Axis Capital Business Area and the Lize Financial Business District.

4. Regarding the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and integration into the modern capital metropolitan area, Fengtai will fully support the construction of Xiong’an New Area, safeguard the construction of Beijing-Xiong’an Technology Innovation Corridor, strengthen strategic cooperation with Tianjin and Hebei, and better serve the coordinated development of the “Two Wings” (Xiong’an New Area and Beijing Municipal Administrative Center).

Wang encouraged CUEB to leverage its strengths in disciplines and research and collaborate with Fengtai District Government in constructing the new capital business area, better integrating the district into the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and transforming of Xinfadi Market. He encouraged CUEB to contribute its intelligence to regional development.

In terms of future collaboration between the university and government, Wang expressed his hope to strengthen cooperation with CUEB in five key areas:

1. Constructing the “university district”: This initiative aims to support development and transformation.

2. Enhancing research collaboration: The goal is to make Fengtai a research base for CUEB and CUEB a think tank for Fengtai’s development.

3. Establishing the career and entrepreneurship hub: This effort seeks to make Fengtai the first choice of employment for students of CUEB.

4. Promoting cadre exchange and personnel training: This measure aims to give full play to the university’s advantages to train specialized talents.

5. Promoting volunteer service and public welfare: These activities strive to provide support in constructing urban culture and supporting Fengtai’s development.

He expected that both sides would work together to promote development in the city, technology, and innovation, thus contributing to the high-quality capital development in the new era.

Wang Wenju introduced that, in June, he and Wu Weixing, Deputy Party Secretary and President of CUEB, led a team to hold a research symposium in Fengtai District. They conducted in-depth discussions on strengthening collaboration between the university and government. They will focus on improving the campus surrounding environment and security governance, creating a safe and harmonious traffic conditions and environment for teachers and students. In recent years, Fengtai District has given much assistance to CUEB in making new breakthroughs in “Redoubling Plan and Development Partner Plan”, making great achievements in promoting the development of the capital and the district. Wang remarked that this forum aims for a double effect: one is to educate and guide teachers and students to understand the successful practice of  Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era  in Beijing, and to enhance the sense of mission and responsibility to serve the capital;  the other is to expect that teachers and students could take the initiative to meet the national strategies and regional economic and social development needs, and give full play to research advantages, so as to provide professionals and intellectual support  for regional high-quality development.

Wang Wenju concluded by thanking Secretary Wang for making such a detailed and wonderful report. He pointed out that the report, being highly political, ideological, and targeted, elaborated the essence of capital development in the new era, especially the analysis of the future development of Fengtai District. It would be helpful to establish a closer partnership for a deeper, all-round and high-quality cooperation between the school and government in think-tank construction, industrial cooperation, and the development of staffs and professionals. In the future, CUEB shall create research platforms, organize research teams, integrate resources, and solve difficult and critical problems in the development, to better assist the high-quality development of Fengtai District, and jointly write a new chapter of university-government collaboration in capital development in the new era.

Present at the forum was Guo Xiaoyi, Standing Committee Member of the District Party Committee and Director of United Front Work Division of Fengtai District, Xiao Bin, Director of the Party Committee Office of Fengtai District, You Hai, Director of the Management Committee of Lize Financial Business District, Shi Wenbin, Executive Commander of the Construction Command of Yongding River Cultural and Essence Area in West Hill, Li Shiqi, Director of the Bureau of Culture and Tourism of Fengtai District, Wu Jing, Secretary of the Party and Work Committee of Xincun Street, Ma Rui, Deputy Director of the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of Fengtai District, Wu Weixing, Vice Secretary of CUEB Party Committee and President, Xu Fang and Meng Bo, Deputy  Secretary of CUEB Party Committee, Mao Baizhan, Member of the CUEB Party Standing Committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, Yao Linxiu, Standing Committee of the CUEB Party Committee and Vice President.

Nearly 300 people attended the forum, including directors of all departments of CUEB, heads of research platforms, representatives of high-level personnels, secretaries of teachers’ Party Branches, and representatives of teachers and students.

Feedback from Teachers and Students

Xu Fang, Vice Secretary of the CUEB Party Committee: This forum can promote the study of the theoretical central group of the Party committee and integrate Party building with profession, and will become an open and mutual learning platform for exchanges between the university and government. It is conducive to giving full play to its own professional advantages, take the initiative to meet the national strategy and the development needs, and contribute to the construction of the “Four Centers”. In the future, CUEB will cooperate with Fengtai District government in the construction of Lize Business District, the construction of practicing and teaching bases for Broader Ideological and Political Education, student employment and entrepreneurship, and volunteer services. CUEB will better contribute to the high-quality development in Fengtai District, and promote disciplines construction, organized scientific research, and the transformation of digitally-enabled personnel training to achieve win-win cooperation.

Wu Kang, Professor from the College of Urban Economics and Public Administration: The report analyzed the role and responsibility of Fengtai District in boosting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region with the capital development strategy in the new era, which is very inspiring to my research on urban and rural planning and governance. Secretary Wang put forward the idea of building university district by university and government, which provided us with clear direction to carry out the research on “big data empowerment” urban governance.

He Qin, Professor from the School of Labor Economics: Secretary Wang’s report gave me a deep sense of mission and responsibility to contribute to the high-quality development of Fengtai District. As the director and researcher of the Beijing Institute of Economic and Social Development Policy Research, I will focus on the research topics that need to be solved and rely on the platform of collaboration between university and government to make greater contributions to the high-quality development of Fengtai District with high-quality scientific research and think-tank achievements.

Shi Zixiao graduate student of Grade 2023 from the School of Culture and Communication: I was very excited when I heard Secretary Wang mentioned that Fengtai District would be the first choice of employment for CUEB students. The report gave me a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Fengtai, and gave us full confidence in the future development. I hope that I can find a satisfying job in Fengtai in the future and contribute to the capital development.

Tao Ying, Vice Dean and Associate Professor from the School of Law: The report encourages us to contribute to the construction of Fengtai District, and CUEBers have the responsibility and the courage to do so. Recently, the School of Law was actively involved in co-organizing the Lize Leagal Services Forum and received a letter of appreciation from the Fengtai District Government. The rule of law is the best business environment. We look forward to participating more deeply in the construction of the regional judicial community to promote the deep integration of government, enterprise, academia, research, and application with joint efforts to build a better future of Fengtai District.