On June 10, the opening ceremony of the 6th Cultural Festival of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth and the launch ceremony of the Overseas Chinese Youth “New Quality Productive Forces” Maker Camp of Donghua University were held at the Songjiang Campus. Themed “Overseas Chinese Youth Connecting the World · A New Journey in Sci-Tech Innovation,” the festival aims to upgrade the brand of the Cultural Festival of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, focusing on new quality productive forces and creating a new model of united front services.
Liu Shuhui, Party Secretary of Donghua University, attended and delivered a speech. Qi Quansheng, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, attended and addressed the event. Wang Ye, Deputy Mayor of Songjiang District; Li Chenglong, Deputy Party Secretary of Donghua University; Lu Weibing, Vice President of Donghua University; heads of relevant departments from Songjiang and Changning Districts; heads of relevant functional departments of the university;representatives of overseas Chinese scholars, enterprise representatives, and heads of party and association groups—more than 100 people in total—attended the event. The opening ceremony was chaired by Wang Gang, Vice Chairman of the University’s Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, President of its Youth Committee, and Deputy Dean of the College of Materials Science and Engineering.
(The scene of this event)
Liu Shuhui, on behalf of the university’s Party Committee, extended a welcome to all guests and expressed gratitude to friends from the overseas Chinese community who have cared for and supported the university’s development. She noted that young scholars from the overseas Chinese community are an important group within the university’s talent pool, distinguished by their global vision and innovative vitality, and serve as a key force in driving original breakthroughs and the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. She expressed the hope that these young scholars would strive to be innovators serving the nation’s needs, practitioners promoting industrial development, and connectors facilitating open cooperation. She stated that the university’s Party Committee will continue to optimize policy support and service systems, ensuring that every young overseas Chinese scholar at Donghua has a platform to work, room to grow, and safeguards for innovation.
(Liu Shuhui delivers a speech)
Qi Quansheng expressed gratitude to Donghua University and all relevant parties for their strong emphasis on and support for the work of the Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and affirmed the university‘s years of dedication to building the “Cultural Festival of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth” brand and its efforts in mobilizing resources at home and abroad to support the growth of young overseas Chinese scholars. He noted that Shanghai is currently making every effort to advance the building of the “Five Centers,” and that young overseas Chinese talent in universities constitutes an important new force for scientific and technological innovation and the cultivation of new quality productive forces. He expressed the hope that young overseas Chinese scholars would grasp the broader trends of the 15th Five-Year Plan, precisely aligning overseas Chinese wisdom with the needs of industrial innovation; make good use of platforms such as the “Makers’ Camp” to achieve concrete results in the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements; and deepen cross-sector collaboration so that overseas Chinese wisdom can generate greater momentum through all-round exchanges and integration.
(Qi Quansheng delivers a speech)
At the launch ceremony, Wang Ye, Deputy Mayor of Songjiang District; Li Chenglong, Deputy Party Secretary of Donghua University; Lu Weibing, Vice President of Donghua University; and Zeng Yuanqian, Executive Deputy General Manager of Zhengtai Smart Electric Port, jointly launched the "Makers' Camp for New Quality Productive Forces of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth."
(Launch Ceremony of the Makers’ Camp for New Quality Productive Forces of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth)
Tang Yuanhui, Executive Vice President of the Youth Committee of the Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and Xiao Yang, Director of the Songjiang District Science and Technology Commission and President of the Songjiang District Non-Party Intellectuals Friendship Association, presented letters of appointment to the first batch of mentors for the Makers' Camp.
(Mentor Appointment Ceremony of the Makers’ Camp for New Quality Productive Forces of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth)
During the project roadshow session, four representatives of young overseas Chinese scholars from both within and beyond the university, working on the frontlines of research and industry, took the stage in succession: Li Kerui from the College of Materials Science and Engineering, Li Jie from the College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhu Shu from the Civil Aviation Composite Materials Center, and Zhang Fuye from Shanghai Starway Home Textile Products. They presented cutting-edge projects including smart glass capable of “heat control,” AI-empowered dismantling of retired power batteries, lightweight, strong, and tough aviation thermoplastic composites, and the industrialization of new textile dyeing and printing technologies with Made-to-Order (MTO) customization. Their presentations fully demonstrated the innovative strength of young overseas Chinese scholars in fields such as new materials, intelligent manufacturing, and green and low-carbon development.
(Project Roadshow of the Makers’ Camp for New Quality Productive Forces of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth)
According to the organizers, the Cultural Festival of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth will run until December 2026, organized around three main tracks: “Discipline + Action,” “Cross-Sector Action,” and “Makers’ Camp Action.” A series of themed activities will be held, including interdisciplinary salons, visits to industrial frontlines, project roadshow matchmaking, and commercialization practice, alongside “Overseas Chinese Forum,” “Youth Salon,” “Qingqiao Q&A Session,” and “Alumni Q&A Session,” continuously fostering a vibrant atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship among young overseas Chinese scholars.
The event is hosted by the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Donghua University and the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Songjiang District, and organized by the Youth Working Committee of the University‘s Returned Overseas Chinese Federation and the Youth Committee of the Songjiang University Town New Overseas Chinese Alliance. It receives strong support from the Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese Youth Association, the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Changning District, and the Joint Conference Office of the Yangtze River Delta G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor.
