On April 15, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, accompanied by a delegation of over 100 members, visited Tongji University during his visit to China. He engaged in a dialogue with nearly 160 Tongji students, sharing his hopes for a bright future between China and Germany. The event was attended by Wu Ken, Chinese Ambassador to Germany, and Patricia Flor, German Ambassador to China, along with senior executives from Siemens, Covestro, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and other companies.

Amid thunderous applause, Chancellor Scholz entered the concert hall and engaged in a dialogue with Tongji students, speaking entirely in German throughout the session.

Before the event began, Fang Shouen delivered a welcome speech. He warmly welcomed Chancellor Scholz back to Tongji University after 13 years and encouraged the students to seize this rare opportunity for in-depth intellectual exchange and to envision a promising future with the Chancellor.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his gratitude to Tongji University for the invitation, stating his delight in visiting the university for a second time. He emphasized the significance of engaging with Tongji’s young students once again to discuss topics of shared global concern and envision the future development of China, Germany, and the world.

The dialogue event consisted of two segments: a structured discussion and a Q&A session. During the dialogue, three Tongji student representatives—a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral student—introduced themselves fluently in German. They engaged Chancellor Scholz in discussions on themes such as youth exchanges between China and Germany, sustainable development, the prospects of smart cities, and advancements in artificial intelligence and other emerging economic fields. Chancellor Scholz underscored the importance of fostering communication among young people.

In the Q&A session, Chancellor Scholz invited the attending students to ask questions. Hands shot up eagerly, and students conversed with him in German, creating a lively and relaxed atmosphere. More than ten students from various schools—including the Sino-German College of Engineering, School of Automotive Studies, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, School of Economics and Management, Department of German in the School of Foreign Languages, School of Law, Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, and School of Medicine—engaged in open and friendly discussions with the Chancellor. Topics ranged from intellectual property protection and renewable energy applications to urbanization, the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence, and the adoption of electric vehicles. Chancellor Scholz’s insightful responses earned rounds of applause from the audience, with laughter and enthusiastic clapping also echoing from the delegation’s seating area.

Wang Tingxuan, a 2023 WIPO Master’s student from the Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, was honored to participate as a student representative in the dialogue. She will begin a dual-degree program in Berlin this September. Wang shared her optimism about future Sino-German cooperation, stating, “I am full of hope and confidence in the future collaboration between China and Germany. I am committed to contributing to the global governance of intellectual property and amplifying the voice of Chinese youth on the international stage.”

Source: Tongji University News Network

Images: Jiang Ping, Zhou You