Officials, staff members in Xiong'an New Area inspired by President Xi's inspection tour

Officials and staff members in north China's Xiong'an New Area were inspired by Chinese President Xi Jinping's inspection tour on Monday, pledging to make greater contribution to the area's development.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Monday visited China Huaneng Group Co. Ltd. and the Xiong'an campus of Beijing No. 4 High School in the Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province, where he also chaired a symposium on further advancing the high-quality construction and development of the new area.

Xi called for efforts to build the Xiong'an New Area into an innovation hub in the new era and a model of promoting high-quality development.

The Xiong'an New Area has been designed to relieve Beijing of functions that are nonessential to its role as the nation's capital, and to boost the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Since China announced its plan to establish the Xiong'an New Area in April 2017, it has evolved from a blueprint into a vibrant city.

Xi has attached great importance to the construction and development of the Xiong'an New Area. Monday's visit marked his fourth inspection tour of the Xiong'an New Area since 2017.

"This has already been Xi's fourth visit to Xiong'an. Each time he comes, he provides new guidance for the development of the Xiong'an New Area. The overall development of the area follows a consistent blueprint from start to finish," said Liu Dongbin, vice president of Xiong'an Xuanwu Hospital.

"The basic facilities here, such as kindergartens, are gradually being improved. The population is steadily growing. The development of our hospital is also progressing each year, with service capabilities and standards continuously enhanced," Liu said.

During the inspection tour, Xi had a cordial exchange with representatives of officials and staff from relocated organizations already operating in the new area and those currently under construction, to learn about their life and work.

"The heartfelt speech from the General Secretary makes me understand the forward-thinking vision and strategic planning of the CPC Central Committee on the development of the Xiong'an New Area. We have reorganized the disciplines and the colleges of our university. We will strive to deeply integrate Beijing Jiaotong University, a century-old institution, into Xiong'an, the city of the future, and fulfill the responsibility of a university in the new era, so as to contribute to the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," said Shen Yan, director of the construction office of Xiong'an Campus of Beijing Jiaotong University.

Staff members said they are enjoying better living environment in the Xiong'an New Area as the infrastructure there has been improved significantly over the recent years.

"The apartments provided by the group make our life and doing exercises here pretty convenient, basically within walking distance. I will focus on my work position, fulfill my responsibilities and take root in the area, so as to contribute my share to the construction of the Xiong'an New Area," said Jing Hao, a staff member of China Huaneng Group, a key state-owned company.

Officials, staff members in Xiong'an New Area inspired by President Xi's inspection tour

Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei-Sarraf on Saturday condemned the United States and Israel for attacking Iranian academic institutions and research facilities, saying that more than 30 universities across the country have been directly targeted since the war started in late February.

The official made the condemnation when speaking to reporters at the site of the damaged Shahid Beheshti University in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Simaei-Sarraf said five university professors and more than 60 students had been killed in the strikes so far, describing attacks on Iranian infrastructure as "crimes against humanity."

Those killed include Saeed Shamghadri, an associate professor at the Iran University of Science and Technology. "Since the war started, five university professors, including Professor Shamghadri, and more than 60 university students have been killed. As I mentioned before, more than 30 universities in Iran have been attacked. It is unbelievable that in an era when democratic values, rights, international law, and human rights are being promoted, the most obvious of these rights are being trampled, violated, and attacked," said Simaei-Sarraf.

An U.S.-Israeli air raid hit the laser and plasma research center of the Shahid Beheshti University on Friday, destroying the interior of the entire building and shattering all the windows. The force of the strike also shattered almost all the windows on another building about 100 meters away from the explosion site.

A researcher at the university said it is incomprehensible that such a facility could become a target of attacks.

"You can see that there's neither any military personnel or military activity here. This is a place where only research was being conducted. Why did it become a target of attacks? What was the motive for this crime?" Azimi, the researcher, said in an interview with China Media Group.

Since the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran started, the Iranian government has repeatedly denounced the two countries for targeting the country's academic institutions and research facilities, calling such attacks serious war crimes.

Iranian official condemns U.S.-Israeli strikes on universities