The Chinese believe that letters are as valuable as gold. For thousands of years, letters have crossed mountains and oceans to convey the writer's feelings, friendship and expectations.
Despite his busy work schedule, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of the State, found time to reply to letters sent to him from different sectors of society and different parts of the world.
President Xi Jinping has frequently corresponded with people from all walks of life through letters, which is part of the great story of China in the new era.
So the Global Times tracked down and contacted some of the recipients of Xi's letter to hear the inspiring stories behind the letters and their interactions with the Chinese president.
This time, Andrew Qiqi Yao, a Chinese Turing Award winner, spoke to the Global Times about his 20 years of dedicated work at Tsinghua University to promote talent training and innovation for the development of China's computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) industries.
“The confirmation and encouragement from President Xi Jinping makes the weight of responsibility on my shoulders feel even heavier,” Andrew Qiqi Yao, a Chinese computer scientist at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times after receiving the reply letter from Xi on June 11.
In his letter, Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, encouraged Yao, a Turing Award winner and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to make greater contributions to the country's talent training and scientific and technological innovation.
According to the official Xinhua News Agency, President Xi Jinping conveyed his greetings to Yao, acknowledging his unswerving dedication and remarkable achievements in the fields of education and scientific and technological innovation over the past 20 years, during which Yao has transformed his love for his country into a determination to serve it.
President Xi Jinping said he hopes Yao will stick to his original aspiration, use his strengths to further explore ways to cultivate innovative talents, promote interdisciplinary integration and cutting-edge innovation, achieve a high degree of self-reliance and a strong nation in science and technology, and make further contributions to building a nation strong in both education and science and technology.
Glorious Years “I am very excited and even more moved when I receive the reply from President Xi Jinping!” Yao shared his feelings with the Global Times after receiving the reply letter from Xi Jinping.
Yao, 78, is the only Chinese computer scientist to have received the Turing Award, known as the Nobel Prize of computer science.
Yao taught at universities in the United States for many years before returning to China in 2004 to become a professor at Tsinghua University. He is currently Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence at Tsinghua University and Director of the University's Institute of Interdisciplinary Information Science.
In his letter to President Xi Jinping, Yao detailed his efforts in talent development and scientific and technological innovation during his 20 years in office, and expressed his determination to contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
“I am sincerely grateful for President Xi Jinping's high appreciation and affirmation of my work in China over the past 20 years. Since returning to the motherland, I have always had firm confidence in China's development. I have never forgotten my original intention of serving the motherland and building a better future,” Yao said.
At Tsinghua University, Yao has been committed to nurturing talented people and promoting interdisciplinary innovation. “It is a great pride for me and I consider it the greatest honor of my life that my humble efforts have contributed to China's great rejuvenation,” he told the Global Times.
Yao said that in accordance with President Xi Jinping's instructions, he will lead his team to actively explore innovative models of talent training, aiming to develop the field of computer science, promote interdisciplinary innovation and establish a competitive advantage in high-level talent training.
“Independently cultivating high-level talents is an important strategic goal for the long-term development of our country and people. As President Xi Jinping points out, China has the world's largest higher education system and a broad platform for developing various undertakings, and is fully capable of continuously cultivating a large number of outstanding talents and training masters. I and my team will follow President Xi Jinping's instructions and do our best to push forward innovation and establish a competitive advantage in cultivating high-level talents,” Yao said.
At the same time, Yao said he will continue to lead his team to actively build a research ecosystem conducive to original innovation, reach strategic heights in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, and make major new contributions to high scientific and technological self-reliance and building a powerhouse in education and science and technology.
Dedicated effort
Yao received the Turing Award in 2000. After receiving the award, the world expected him to continue his achievements in the United States, but he made a decision that surprised everyone: he sold his home in the United States, resigned his tenured position at Princeton University, and enrolled at Tsinghua University.
“I think coming back to build a world-class university in China and to nurture computing talent in China is born out of a natural emotional connection,” Yao told media about his decision to return to China.
Yao has lived in the United States for 36 years, but his love for his country has never wavered.
“No matter where we are or when we are, we never forget we are Chinese. It means a lot to us that we can develop talents in China and make breakthroughs with China's cutting-edge technology,” he said.
Upon returning home, Yao began to ponder a question: How can universities nurture students with creativity, imagination, and the ability to make new contributions? He turned his attention to undergraduates and wanted to open a special class to nurture talented undergraduates in computer science.
In the spring of 2005, Yao established a computer science experimental class (commonly known as the “Yao Class”) at Tsinghua University, selecting an initial group of 59 students from all first- and second-year students across the university.
“Our goal is not to produce ordinary computer software programmers, but to produce first-class computer talents that meet international standards,” Yao said at the classes' opening ceremony.
The class was named after Yao's surname, and he put all his effort into it: He personally developed the training program and teaching plan for the students, carefully designed the course, and even taught some of it himself.
Although some people think that Chinese students lack creativity, Yao believes that China's primary and secondary education systems are successful and that Chinese students are in no way less creative than those in other countries.
Some students recalled that Mr. Yao's lessons were like this: even if they realized from the beginning that the solution proposed by their classmates was wrong, Mr. Yao would not interrupt them, but encourage them to continue demonstrating until they realized their mistake on their own. “Mr. Yao never criticizes us, he just encourages and encourages us,” some of Mr. Yao's students told the media.
Amid the growing activity of AI research, Yao established an elite AI program (Zhi Class) in 2019. In 2021, Tsinghua University's quantum information class also officially began recruiting students under Yao's guidance.
In addition, Yao established the Institute of Interdisciplinary Information Science and the Center for Quantum Information at Tsinghua University. In April, the Tsinghua University School of Artificial Intelligence was officially established, with Yao as its first president.
The School of Artificial Intelligence at Tsinghua University will focus on two cutting-edge fields, “core AI” and “AI+,” and aims to build a platform foundation to attract and cultivate talented people. “I am deeply aware of the significance and honor of being appointed as the first president,” Yao said.
