CFLC held an inauguration ceremony on the afternoon of September 24 to welcome its new students. Attending the ceremony were the CFLC leadership and all department heads, as well as the new students. A number of alumni were also present at the ceremony, including Su Zixing (Class of 1981; Party Secretary of the XMU Office of Confucius Institutes), Zeng Yan (Class of 1981), Lin Yingru (Class of 1984), and Wei Zhonghe (Class of 1988; CEO of Xiamen Master Translation Service Co.). The ceremony was officiated by CFLC Deputy Party Secretary Zheng Xinfeng.

The ceremony began with a welcome speech by CFLC Dean Prof. Zhang Longhai. In his speech, Prof. Zhang noted that 2016 is a special year as it marks the 95^th anniversary of XMU and the 93^rd anniversary of CFLC. He reviewed CFLC’s long and distinguished history and its significant achievements in recent years in teaching and research on the strength of the nation’s “One Road, One Belt” Initiative and “Chinese Culture Going Global” Program and the University’s “Program of Prospering the Humanities and Social Sciences”.

Prof. Zhang reaffirmed CFLC’s commitment to providing students with the environment to unleash and maximize their potential. He called on the new students to make the most of their time at CFLC. He encouraged the students to pursue their ideals and develop their skills.

Prof. Chen Jing of the English Department addressed the students on behalf of the CFLC faculty. She first welcomed and congratulated the students on earning themselves the opportunity to study at CFLC. She then shared her own educational experience at CFLC more than two decades ago. She encouraged the students to learn from the Chinese National Women’s Volleyball Team, which won the gold medal at the recent Olympics in Rio de Janeiro against all odds. She stressed that the essence of championship lies in the spirit to fight, which has enabled the team to get up again and again after tripping over one difficulty after another, without ever thinking about giving up.

Lei Shulin, a third-year graduate student specializing in French language and literature, spoke at the inauguration ceremony on behalf of the current students. She shared with the new students her educational experience at XMU as an undergraduate and a graduate student. She called on the new students to adhere to the University’s motto of “pursuing excellence and striving for perfection” in their study.

Lin Hao, a new student majoring in Spanish, spoke on behalf of the freshmen. He shared with the audience his personal experience in the post-enrollment military training, as well as his involvement in the restoration efforts in the wake of Typhoon Meranti. He encouraged his fellow students to pursue their personal dreams and contribute to the advancement of the nation.

At the commendation ceremony for the current students following the inauguration ceremony for the new students, CFLC Deputy Secretary Yang Yunliang and Vice Dean Prof. Xu Qi announced lists of winners of honorary titles and scholarships, respectively, and presented the winners with merit certificates. Following the commendation ceremony, all new students put on their university badges and signed their XMU Student Integrity Pledges.

The events closed with an address by CFLC Party Secretary Chen Zhiwei. Ms. Chen extended a warm welcome to the new students and commended the staff and students for their efforts in restoring the campus in the wake of the devastating Super Typhoon Meranti. She called on the students to align their personal ambitions with the modernization drive of the nation and to use their university education to advance themselves. She reaffirmed CFLC’s commitment to providing students with mentorship, advice and guidance to help them mature into a responsible citizen who can play a major role in society.