On March 1, Beihang University held the signing and inauguration ceremony for the joint construction of the Large Aircraft Research Institute between Beihang and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC) at the Shahe campus.
The signing ceremony
Among the attendees were COMAC Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Board He Dongfeng, COMAC Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager Zhou Xinmin, COMAC Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager Wei Yingbiao, Chief Scientist and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Wu Guanghui, COMAC Secretary of the Board and Director of the Office of the Board Zhang Jun, as well as Beihang Secretary of the Party Committee Zhao Changlu, President Wang Yunpeng, Academicians Zhang Yanzhong and Su Donglin, Dean of the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering and Director of Large Aircraft Research Institute Xiang Jinwu, and Vice Presidents Tao Zhi and Liu Shuchun. President Wang Yunpeng presided over the ceremony.
Beihang Secretary of the Party Committee Zhao Changlu delivering a speech
In his speech, Zhao Changlu paid high tribute to COMAC for its always serving the country's major strategic needs and developing advanced equipment for the country, and expressed his heartfelt thanks to COMAC for its long-standing support to Beihang. Zhao Changlu said that Beihang and COMAC have deep historical roots, emotional ties and a foundation for cooperation. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of both sides, the Institute will become a high-end think tank for the strategic development of China’s large aircraft, a backbone of basic research, an innovative pioneer of cutting-edge exploration, a training base for high-end talent, a shared platform for major test facilities, and a model for the deep integration of the innovation chain and industry chain, providing strong support for the development of China’s large aircraft cause.
COMAC Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman He Dongfeng delivering a speech
He Dongfeng expressed his sincere gratitude to Beihang University, academicians and experts who have been caring for and supporting the development of the large aircraft. He said that the achievements of large aircraft research could not have been attained without the active participation and collaboration of Beihang University. Over the past decade, the two sides have maintained good cooperation in talent cultivation, model development and technical capability enhancement. He hoped both sides could take the establishment of COMAC-Beihang Large Aircraft Research Institute as a new starting point to further implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on the large aircraft cause, improve the product layout, promote the industrialized development of large aircraft business in a large-scale and ecological manner, so as to make new contributions to this cause as well as the construction of a country with strong aviation power.
Beihang President Wang Yunpeng hosting the ceremony
Wang Yunpeng extended his warm welcome to the visit of COMAC delegation. He noted that the two sides have been in close contact and deep cooperation, and through the combination of demand-pull and technology-push, have jointly built a collaborative innovation mechanism which combined domestic and international strengths and with COMAC and Beihang as the core, garnering a series of achievements. In the future, both sides should follow the principle of “long-term cooperation and win-win development”, take the opportunity of jointly building the Institute to thoroughly implement the innovation-driven development strategy of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, build a country with strong aviation power, realize the long-term sustainable development of large aircraft, and jointly promote the technological progress and talent training in China.
On behalf of the preparatory working group of the Large Aircraft Research Institute, Pan Chong from the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering introduced to the guests the background of the establishment of the Institute as well as its institutional setup, construction concept and operation mechanism.
The two sides signing the COMAC-Beihang Large Aircraft Research Institute co-construction agreement
He Dongfeng, Zhao Changlu, Zhou Xinmin and Wang Yunpeng inaugurating the Institute
He Dongfeng and Zhao Changlu presenting the appointment letter to Academician Zhang Yanzhong
Wei Yingbiao and Tao Zhi signed the co-construction agreement on behalf of COMAC and Beihang University respectively. He Dongfeng, Zhao Changlu, Zhou Xinmin and Wang Yunpeng unveiled the plaque for the Institute together. He Dongfeng and Zhao Changlu jointly presented the letter of appointment to Academician Zhang Yanzhong as the Director of the Advisory Committee of the Institute.
Before the inauguration ceremony, He Dongfeng and his delegation also visited several important laboratories in Beihang.
Reported by Wang Qing
Photographed by Di Bailu
Reviewed by Li Jianwei
Edited by Jia Aiping
Translated by Lu Meili
