On the afternoon of June 18, the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Student and Faculty Activity Center, funded by Dr. James S.C. Chao, Chairman of Foremost Group and an alumnus of Dalian Maritime University (DMU), was officially unveiled at the university. Attendees at the unveiling ceremony included Ms. Elaine Chao, former U.S. Secretary of Labor (24th) and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation (18th), and Co-Chairman of Foremost Group; Xu Minqiang, Party Secretary of DMU; Shan Hongjun, President of DMU; Zeng Qingcheng, Vice President of DMU; Liu Binyan, Commercial Vice President of Foremost Group; Zhang Huixuan, Director of the Chairman’s Office of Foremost Group; Wu Linlin, staff member of the Department for North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs; Wang Yi, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Dalian Municipal People’s Government; and Zhang Lanyu, Division Chief of the same office.

President Shan Hongjun extended a warm welcome to Ms. Elaine Chao on behalf of the university and conveyed sincere greetings and heartfelt gratitude to Dr. James S.C. Chao and his family. He remarked that the completion and inauguration of the Student and Faculty Activity Center stand not only as Dr. Chao’s most profound tribute to his beloved wife, but also as a vivid embodiment of the couple’s noble character and deep commitment to philanthropy. President Shan emphasized that Dr. James S.C. Chao has always sailed in tandem with the course of his motherland and resonated harmoniously with the development of his alma mater, charting a magnificent voyage defined by perseverance and a relentless pursuit of maritime strength. He called upon all faculty and students to internalize the “Mulan Spirit” characterized by love, optimism, perseverance, and vision, and to translate it into action. He urged the university community to put into practice the DMU ethos of learning and to earnestly shoulder the historic responsibility of contributing to the accelerated development of a strong transportation sector, a strong maritime nation, and a robust shipping industry.

In her address, Ms. Elaine Chao fondly recalled the deep bond between her family and the university, as well as the wonderful impression left from her previous visit. She shared touching anecdotes about how her father, Dr. James S.C. Chao, and her mother, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, had first met and built their life together. She celebrated their industriousness, resilience, and optimism, as well as their unwavering belief that education is the key to success. Ms. Chao expressed her hope that the establishment of the Activity Center and the inspiring story of her parents would serve as a lasting source of motivation for students to pursue their ideals with pragmatism and realize their youthful ambitions.

On behalf of the university, Party Secretary Xu Minqiang presented Ms. Elaine Chao with a scale model of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Student and Faculty Activity Center. In return, Ms. Chao presented the university with a model of the Foremost Group’s 210,000-ton bulk carrier, the Long May.

Alumni representatives and faculty-student representatives successively expressed their gratitude, respect, and best wishes to Dr. James S.C. Chao and his family through various forms. These included a heartfelt short video titled Walking Together in Warmth with Mulan, a silhouette artwork depicting the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Student and Faculty   Activity Center, and a musical poetry recitation entitled Gentle as an Orchid, Resolute as a Voyage.

On behalf of DMU, Vice President Zeng Qingcheng presented a certificate of appreciation for alumnus James S.C. Chao to Ms. Elaine Chao, conveying DMU’s respect and gratitude to alumnus James S.C. Chao and his family for their enduring devotion to the alma mater and generous donations to support education.

Elaine Chao, Xu Minqiang and Shan Hongjun jointly pulled back the curtain to unveil the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Student and Faculty   Activity Center, marking the official opening of this brand-new building embodying warmth and aspirations.

Subsequently, the two sides held a meeting on the second floor of the activity center, conducting in-depth exchanges on DMU’s development, talent cultivation, scientific and technological innovation, international cooperation, and cultural exchanges.

The Mulan Scholarship stands as the earliest founded, longest sustained and most far-reaching scholarship program at the university since the reform and opening-up. Since Dr. James S.C. Chao and his wife Ruth Mulan Chu Chao established it via donation to DMU in 1984, it has provided financial support for over 500 faculty and students.

The official opening of the Activity Center marks a brand-new chapter in this long-distance friendship. It will surely inspire more DMU members to carry forward the Mulan Spirit and dedicate their youthful strength to building a country with strong transportation and shipping capabilities.

Heads of relevant departments attended the event, including the Party and Administration Office, Publicity Department of the Party Committee, Student Affairs Department of the Party Committee, Human Resources Department, Alumni Affairs and Student Employment Department, International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Logistics Support Department, Communist Youth League Committee, and Investment Management Company.