On the morning of February 24, a plenary cadre meeting was held in International Cooperation Division (ICD), in which TYUT’s decision on the removal and appointment of ICD responsible person was announced. Liang Weiguo, member of the Standing Committee of Party Committee and Vice President of TYUT, and Jia Chaohong, member of the Standing Committee of Party Committee and head of the Organization Division, attended the meeting. Zhao Guojun, Secretary of ICD general Party branch chaired the meeting.

In the meeting, Jia Chaohong read TYUT’s removal and appointment document first. It was decided in the meeting of the Standing Committee of TYUT Party Committee on February 18 that Comrade Li Ruifeng would no longer serve as ICD Director, and Comrade Zhang Yongzhong take over as the responsible person of ICD.

Zhang Yongzhong made an inaugural address and expressed his gratitude for the trust and cultivation of the party organization. He stated that he had worked at ICD for many years and was emotionally attached to the division. ICD is an important division that supports TYUT’s “five strategies”, he added, taking over as its responsible person means a great pressure and responsibility as well as a big challenge to him. Zhang pledged that he would continue to make clear his political stance, keep learning as always and strive to make a fresh start in international cooperation. He further stated that he would perform his duties diligently, assume responsibility readily, work hard, and explore a better path for the internationalization of TYUT. And he would be down-to-earth, willing to dedicate, live up to the party organization’s expectation, and go all out to contribute to TYUT’s “double first-class” construction.  

On behalf of ICD general Party branch, Zhao Guojun made a statement. He stated that he firmly supported the decision of TYUT party committee and would unite and lead ICD party members and cadres to identify deficiencies in international cooperation related work and better serve the construction of “double first-class” university, by further emancipating their minds and clarifying their thinking. And they would give full play to the role of the party organization as a battle bastion and party members as pioneers, build up their confidence in international cooperation, and enhance their sense of responsibility and mission. Efforts would be made to strengthen the coordination between the various divisions of TYUT, create an enabling international atmosphere, and do a good job in international cooperation so as to promote the internationalization of TYUT to a new level and make new progress.

On behalf of TYUT party committee, Liang Weiguo gave an important address. He pointed out that TYUT leaders attached great importance to international cooperation. The reassignment of cadres is the need of TYTU’s overall work plan for cadre team building and the promotion of internationalization. He affirmed the contribution made by Li Ruifeng to the internationalization of TYUT during his service as the director of ICD, and hoped that Zhang Yongzhong would inherit and innovate, forge ahead, and create a new situation. He asked ICD to make scientific plans and promote international cooperation by aligning its efforts with the general reform and development goal determined in the “13th Five-Year Plan” of TYUT and “Double First Class” Construction Plan as well as the tasks listed in the Key Tasks of Taiyuan University of Technology in 2020. He stressed that coordination between the various divisions of TYUT should be strengthened; special efforts spent on the internationalization of research, teaching, students and management; focus put on serving the construction of first-class disciplines; and emphasis placed on team building, institution improvement, performance evaluation and information construction. At last, he encouraged everyone to seize the day and work proactively with a sense of urgency and mission. At present stage, he concluded, it is important to combine epidemic prevention and control with everyday work so as to make contribution to the international strategy and “double first-class” construction of TYUT.