(Written by Xu Jingyao) On September 27, the reception for foreign experts celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China was grandly held at the Great Hall of the People. Ding Xuexiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended and delivered a speech. On behalf of the Chinese government and President Xi Jinping, he expressed heartfelt thanks and extended sincere greetings and best wishes to all foreign experts and international friends who have cared for, supported, and participated in China’s reform, opening up, and modernization efforts. Professor Frédéric GENTY, the French Dean of Zhongfa Aviation Institute of Beihang University, and Associate Professor Pierre VALLOBRA, a foreign expert from H3I, were invited to attend the reception.
Professor Frédéric GENTY is the third from the left in the second row, and Associate Professor Pierre VALLOBRA is the first from the left in the first row
Professor GENTY is the French Dean of Zhongfa Aviation Institute of Beihang University and a professor at Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC). He has previously served as the Acting Director of Centrale Supélec’s Metz campus. He officially joined Beihang University in 2017 and has contributed outstandingly to Sino-French educational cooperation at Beihang University. Professor GENTY actively promotes research collaborations between Beihang University and French universities and enterprises, fostering scientific and cultural exchanges between Chinese and French youth. He has been invited as an expert representative to attend several significant events, including the 2021 ceremony celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the State Council’s Spring Festival symposium for foreign experts in China, the Ministry of Science and Technology’s tea reception for foreign experts, and the 2019 ceremony celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
“We are deeply honored to attend the reception for foreign experts celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. We had friendly exchanges with other foreign experts and Chinese representatives in a harmonious atmosphere at this thoughtfully organized event. The reception, held in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, fully demonstrated China’s high regard for foreign experts in Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation. We will continue to serve as a bridge for China’s international exchanges and cooperation, enhancing friendship and collaboration between China and other countries.”
Associate Professor Pierre VALLOBRA obtained his PhD from Université de Lorraine in 2019 and joined Beihang University after graduation. He developed a femtosecond experimental device and, in 2022, received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China to research a new generation of magnetic memory devices based on ultrafast laser pulses. Associate Professor VALLOBRA’s research focuses on nanomagnetism, including femtosecond magnetism, skyrmions, spin torque, and domain wall motion. He has also explored other topics such as the thermoelectric effects in microelectronics and topological materials. He has published multiple papers in high-impact journals like Advanced Materials, Nano Letters, and Advanced Science. Additionally, he has supervised master’s and doctoral students both in France and China.
“Being invited to the reception was a great honor. It meant a lot to me since I constantly tried to act as a bridge between the Chinese and French cultures in my teaching and research work. The words of the Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Ding Xuexiang, confirmed what I experienced beforehand, China is deploying constant efforts to offer foreign expert the best working and life conditions. I would like to use those words to thank the central government and of the Zhejiang province for their past, present and future support. I am today more confident than ever that I will be able to contribute to the Chinese-French friendship in the best conditions since I am certain of the support of the Chinese government.”
Professor Frédéric GENTY is the first on the right, and Associate Professor Pierre VALLOBRA is the first on the left.
Ding Xuexiang emphasized that China remains committed to implementing a more proactive, open, and effective talent policy, providing greater convenience, better services, and an improved environment for foreign experts to work and live in China. He expressed the hope that foreign experts will continue to support China’s development, act as builders of China’s modernization efforts, serve as bridges for Sino-foreign exchange and cooperation, and become ambassadors of friendship between the peoples, contributing to the promotion of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Zhongfa Aviation Institute of Beihang University continues to refine its administrative systems and mechanisms for foreign faculty, focusing on enhancing service and support for foreign faculty. The institute aims to create a platform for cross-cultural academic exchange, and encourages foreign teachers to participate in research and administrative work actively and gain deeper understanding of Chinese culture. It also seeks to cultivate foreign talents who know and appreciate the bond with China, so as to expand new opportunities for international exchange and cooperation.
(Approved by: Hong Guanxin, Zhang Wei, Xu Ran)
(Edited by Yuan Xiaohui)
