On the morning of September 10, the opening ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU), together with a Teachers' Day commendation ceremony, was held at the auditorium of the Shahe campus. Qi Yu, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended and delivered remarks. Hong Lei, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, principal officials of relevant departments and bureaus, retired ambassadors, and more than 680 people including the Class of 2026 freshmen attended the ceremony.

On behalf of Comrade Wang Yi and the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Qi Yu extended festive greetings to all faculty and staff, congratulated the commended teachers and students, welcomed newly recruited faculty and staff and the Class of 2026 freshmen, and announced the official launch of CFAU's 'Ambassador Mentorship Program.' In his remarks, Secretary Qi Yu put forward three requirements for the University's faculty and students: first, raise political standing and uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership; second, respect teachers and value education, and strive to build a high-quality teaching faculty; third, temper the aspiration to serve the country and shoulder the responsibilities of the times.

At the ceremony, Secretary Qi Yu and Assistant Minister Hong Lei also presented awards respectively to representatives of 'Four Strong' Party branches and 'Four Good' Party members of central and state organs, outstanding Party members of the diplomatic service, representatives of 'Four Strong' Party branches and 'Four Good' Party members of the diplomatic service, faculty and staff who have worked in education for 30 years, and students who won national-level awards together with their supervising teachers.

After the ceremony, Secretary Qi Yu and Assistant Minister Hong Lei held a discussion with retired ambassadors participating in the 'Ambassador Mentorship Program' and representatives of teachers and students on the theme of 'cultivating first-class diplomatic talent and building a first-class foreign affairs university,' and put forward requirements and high expectations for bringing ambassadors into the classroom.

(Reprinted from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)