Xi stressed that the fundamental task of education is to foster virtue. He urged the university to uphold the socialist direction of education and nurture a new generation of capable young people with moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills for the socialist cause. The university should highlight its unique strengths, foster high-calibre faculty, enhance its innovative capacity in scientific researches and make more progress in making itself a world-class university and developing world-class disciplines. He also expected students of the university to strive for the future of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese nation.
Xi's next stop was the Urumqi International Land Port Area where he was provided with relevant information and through real-time video link watched how the Urumqi China-Europe Railway Express Hub, the land ports at the Alataw Pass and Horgos operated. He also chatted with people working at the freight train service desk and other on-site staff.
Xi stressed that with the country opening wider to the world, the western region being further developed, and the Belt and Road Initiative being materialized, Xinjiang has changed from a relatively closed inland region to a frontier of opening up. The region should develop the core area along the Silk Road Economic Belt, incorporate its regional opening-up strategy into the overall layout of the country's westward opening up, innovate the system for an open economy, speed up the construction of major opening-up corridors, so that it can make better use of international and domestic markets and resources and actively serve and integrate itself into the country's new pattern of development. He also urged local leading officials to continue to prevent both inbound cases and domestic resurgences of COVID-19, uphold a dynamic zero-COVID policy and try their best to adopt targeted response measures and reduce inconvenience in people's everyday life.
On Wednesday morning, Xi visited the community of Guyuanxiang in the Tianshan District of Urumqi where more than 95 percent of the residents were ethnic minorities. He walked into the public service center, the community service center, the dance room and the children's reading room, and chatted with residents there. Having watched a traditional cultural performance by local children with keen interest, he noted that the education of China's fine traditional culture should start with children and be sustained so that it will be developed as part of people's life in an imperceptible and formative manner. Such education will contribute to building a firm foundation for passing on China's fine traditional culture through generations, he said.
Shown around the living room, bedrooms and kitchen at the home of Ablet Tursun, a Uygur resident, Xi sat down with his family for a friendly conversation. He stressed that ethnic unity is the lifeline for people of all ethnic groups in China and all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are inseparable members of the family of the Chinese nation. We should value the current stability and unity in China with all 56 ethnic groups standing together, maintaining firm resolve, making pragmatic and concerted efforts for achieving the Second Centenary Goal under the Party's leadership.
Xi noted that community work concerns thousands of families. Party organizations at the primary level should play an active role, and more attention should be paid to the work at the primary level. It is imperative to take into account the needs and expectations of residents of all ethnic groups, help them solve problems and address their difficulties, promote the brotherhood and mutual help among people of all ethnic groups, build a beautiful home and create a better future together.
When Xi was leaving the residential community, people of various ethnic groups sang and danced in their ethnic costumes to show their sincere love and esteem for him. In return, Xi wished everyone a prosperous career and a happier life.