President Xi Jinping called on Xiamen University on Tuesday to build itself into a world-class university and enhance its capabilities to serve regional development and national strategies as the university marks its 100th anniversary.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark in a congratulatory letter to the university.

In the letter, Xi extended warm congratulations and sincere greetings to faculty, students and alumni of the university and hailed its glorious tradition, as well as its patriotic, revolutionary and scientific ethos. He said Xiamen University has fostered a large number of talented people and made positive contributions to making the country more prosperous, bringing happiness to people and promoting the dissemination of Chinese culture abroad.

As China has embarked on a journey to fully build a modern socialist country, Xi expressed hope that the university will further carry out the CPC's education policy, earnestly concentrate on fostering virtues through education and cultivate talented people for the Party and the country. He also urged the university to work to consolidate the unity and cohesion of the Chinese nation in order to make a greater contribution to building a modern socialist China and realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation.

Xiamen University, in the coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian province, was established in 1921 by renowned patriotic overseas Chinese leader Tan Kah-kee. It was the first university to be founded by an overseas Chinese in the history of modern Chinese education. Over the past century, the university has remained committed to its motto of Pursue Excellence; Strive for Perfection and has been motivated by a desire to serve the country and the people. It boasts over 400,000 alumni.