The founding ceremony of the Japan Alumni Association of Wenzhou Medical University was held in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan at 16:30 Tokyo time on April 16. Qu Jia, director of the Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry of Wenzhou Medical University and president of the Alumni Association, and his delegation went to Japan to attend the founding ceremony and visit the alumni in Japan. About a dozen alumni gathered at the ceremony to witness this meaningful moment together.

Lyu Yijun, secretary of the Party committee of WMU, sent a congratulatory message to the Japan Alumni Association on its establishment on behalf of the faculty and students of the university. He said that the centenary history and 65 years of development of the university had witnessed its alumni going all over the world. The high-quality development of the university cannot be achieved without the support of alumni and alumni associations at home and abroad. The achievements of all alumni are an epitome of the university’s teaching endeavor. He sincerely hoped that the Japan Alumni Association could become a bond of contact, sharing, cooperation, and development, deepening the friendship between the alumni and the alma mater and pursuing common development with the university.

Chen Huisheng, former secretary of the Party committee of WMU and founder of its Japanese program, also sent his congratulations via video. He believed that the establishment of the Japan Alumni Association would further promote the high-level development of WMU and play an irreplaceable positive role in strengthening the emotional links and information exchanges between alumni at home and abroad.

Qu Jia said that the alma mater is like the root of alumni and alumni are the branches and leaves of the alma mater. It is the emotional feelings that link them together. Strengthening ties between the alma mater and its alumni as well as links between alumni will give a powerful driving force for the development of the university. He hoped that the alumni will continue to care about and support the development of the alma mater.

Alumna Yang Yunxia, incoming president of the Japan Alumni Association, made a speech and introduced preparations of the alumni association. She said that the establishment of the Japan Alumni Association creates an opportunity to continue the friendship between the alumni and the alma mater, and she will act as a bridge to boost the exchanges and cooperation between the alma mater and Japan in education, scientific research, medical care, and other fields.

At the meeting, the alumni representatives deliberated and adopted the Constitution of the Japan Alumni Association of Wenzhou Medical University and elected the first board members. Li Jianjiang, honorary president of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Lin Li, president of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and Wang Xuejian, a class of 1982 alumnus, are appointed as consultants. Yang Yunxia, a class of 2011 alumna, is appointed as president of the association, and Zhang Chenhao, a class of 2015 alumnus, as the secretary-general.

Yin Qiang, president of the North America Alumni Association, Cui Yu, president of the Australia Alumni Association, Mao Yilei, president of the Beijing Alumni Association, Chen Chao, president of the Shanghai Alumni Association, and the School of Foreign Language Studies sent congratulatory video messages on the founding of the Japan Alumni Association of WMU. In addition, the Japan Alumni Association of the School of Foreign Language Studies was also established at the site.

The alumni at the meeting introduced their relationship with WMU and how they were doing. They also expressed their pride as Wenzhou Medical University members and their joy for the establishment of the Japan Alumni Association. They are active in all sectors of Japanese society and contribute to the development of their alma mater and local society.

Text translated by Zhang Yuke and reviewed by Sun You