President of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) Chen Deming visited Nanjing University on the morning of November 7 and met with Zhang Yibin, chancellor of the university, and other leaders of the university.

Chen, a Nanjing University alumnus, formerly served as State Minister of Commerce before he started to work with ARATS. He was accompanied by leaders of the Jiangsu Provincial Taiwan Affairs Office during his visit.

The university leaders who attended the meeting included Yang Zhong, executive vice chancellor of the university, Zhu Qingbao, vice chancellor of the university, Fan Conglai, Assistant President, and leaders of related offices, schools and departments.

University leaders meet Chen Deming and his group

Zhang extended warm welcome to Chen and his group and briefed the guests on the university’s development in recent years.

The university, Zhang said, has close association with Taiwan’s academia and has actively participated in and promoted the cross-strait cultural exchange activities for students, and these activities have had good social impact.

Zhang also said that since Nanjing University has its disciplinary advantages and historical tradition in Taiwan studies, he hopes that these studies will receive effective support from ARATS in the future.

Chen Deming affirmed the university’s effort to promote cross-strait academic exchange and youth cultural exchange.

As an alumnus, he said he is happy that Nanjing University has ranked high in universities in the country; it has especially outstanding in theories of economics and Marxist political economics, with some strong disciplines and well-known scholars.

Chen recalled his time at the university and said that he benefited a lot from many good teachers and friends at the university.

He also asked about the construction and use of the university’s Xianlin Campus and the locations of schools and departments there. At last, he expressed his wish for his Alma Mater to make greater achievements in the “Double First-Rate” Construction.