On May 21, China Minmetals and Tianjin University signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing. Chen Dexin, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of China Minmetals, and Chai Liyuan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Tianjin University, jointly witnessed the signing and convened a meeting. Wang Jiezhi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of China Minmetals, and Wang Tianyou, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Executive Vice President of Tianjin University, signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties.

Chen Dexin thanked Tianjin University for its enduring and robust support for the reform, development, and technological innovation of China Minmetals. He also briefed the audience on the overall situation of China Minmetals, along with the cooperation and exchanges between the two parties. He stated that China Minmetals thoroughly studies and implements General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and guiding principles, continuously deepening its presence across six major business sectors—metal minerals, metallurgical construction, technology industry, trade and logistics, financial capital, and real estate development—while unswervingly pursuing a path of high-level self-reliance and technological strength. The company promotes technological innovation by focusing on five key areas: building R&D platforms, enhancing their capabilities, tackling major technical challenges, advancing the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements, and strengthening the development of sci-tech talent. It also consolidates four critical leverage points—establishing platforms, building mechanisms, strengthening coordination, and emphasizing application—while striving to deepen the integration of technological innovation with industrial innovation. The advantageous disciplines of Tianjin University align closely with China Minmetals' core responsibilities and main businesses. The two parties are expected to take this signing as a new starting point, further leverage their respective strengths, and focus on modernizing the industrial system with technological innovation as the core driver. They will carry out comprehensive, systematic, and pragmatic cooperation in areas including tackling core technologies in key fields, transforming major scientific and technological achievements, and cultivating and exchanging high-level talent. Together, they aim to serve the national development strategy and write a new chapter in university-enterprise cooperation.

Chai Liyuan extended his thanks to China Minmetals for its longstanding trust and support for Tianjin University, fully endorsed the cooperation ideas and development proposals put forward by Chairman Chen Dexin, and briefed the audience on Tianjin University's disciplinary framework and research development. He stated that Tianjin University has always been closely aligned with major national strategic needs and the development directions of strategic emerging industries. The university has built a strong foundation and developed distinctive strengths in key areas such as chemical engineering, advanced materials, new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, and the green transformation of metallurgy. As such, it is well-positioned to precisely meet the innovation demands of China Minmetals in industrial fields including mineral resource development, new material research and development, and low-carbon transformation. It is hoped that the two parties will continue to promote the co-building of platforms, collaborative project research, joint talent cultivation, and shared achievement transformation. By working together to overcome key technological bottlenecks in the industry, drive the green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading of the sector, and cultivate high-end innovative industrial clusters, they can better support the high-quality development of China Minmetals' core responsibilities and principal businesses.

Under the agreement, the two parties will further deepen the integration of industry, academia, and research, along with collaborative innovation, injecting new momentum into the shared development of the university and the enterprise.

Prior to the talks, the two parties jointly visited the Scientific and Technological Achievement Exhibition of China Minmetals. During the exhibition tour, the two sides discussed ways to promote the integration of technological and industrial innovation.

Relevant responsible persons from Tianjin University, as well as heads of relevant departments of China Minmetals and enterprises, attended the event.