At the fourth graduation ceremony of Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT), Chinese Ambassador to Israel Xiao Junzheng delivered a speech through video.

Below is the full text of the speech

It is my great honor to attend GTIIT’s 2025 graduation ceremony. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Israel, I extend my warmest congratulations to all graduates and pay high tribute to the faculty for your dedication, as well as to the leaders and friends who have contributed to China-Israel educational cooperation!

GTIIT stands as a landmark achievement of China-Israeli educational collaboration, embodying the goodwill and aspirations of both governments and peoples. I have always attached great importance to its development. Shortly after assuming my role as Chinese Ambassador to Israel, I made a special trip to the Technion, where I exchanged views with President Sivan and faculty on GTIIT’s progress. I am delighted to witness that, though young, GTIIT has achieved remarkable milestones in talent cultivation and scientific research. Data shows it now hosts over 1,000 undergraduates who have collectively published 100+ papers, while over 100 students from the Class of 2025 have received 300+ offers from 90+ global universities, nearly 60% from top 10 institutions. As a supporter of GTIIT, such accomplishments inspire me deeply. The Chinese Embassy in Israel and I will, as always, spare no effort to provide support and assistance for GTIIT’s continued growth.

As President Xi Jinping emphasized, we must regard talent as our primary resource, science and technology as our primary productive force and innovation as our primary driver of growth. Guided by the visionary leadership of both countries, China and Israel have established an innovative comprehensive partnership, adopting an “Education + Innovation + Talent” framework. Initiatives like the China-Israel 7+7 Research University Alliance, GTIIT, the China Israel Changzhou Innovation Park, and the China-Israel Innovation Hub have yielded fruitful collaborations in education, technology, talent, and trade. Innovation collaboration has emerged as a hallmark and catalyst for bilateral progress, while talent cultivation serves as a pillar of the innovative comprehensive partnership, and GTIIT shines as a model project in this collaboration.

China is accelerating new quality productive forces, where sci-tech innovation is pivotal. President Xi Jinping emphasized the imperative to promote the development of a human community with a shared future and advance open sci-tech cooperation. Amid complex global dynamics, we must embrace openness, integrate into global innovation networks, and engage deeply in sci-tech governance. Innovation relies on talent, and talent on education. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee outlined plans to advance high-standard educational openness, encouraging world-class STEM universities to establish cooperative programs in China. The Technion is globally renowned for its outstanding achievements in talent cultivation and scientific research, and the China-Israel collaboration in education and technology holds vast potential. In my frequent meetings with President Sivan, we share this conviction and act upon it. As China advances modernization and our innovation partnership deepens, GTIIT will embrace new opportunities and a flourishing tomorrow.

In closing, may all graduates find success in your new journeys! May GTIIT flourish and scale new heights! 

Thank you!