During the period from 10th to 13th April, 2022, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and the chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), inspected Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City（YZBSTC).

On April 10, Xi Jinping visited Sanya YZBSTC for the innovation of seed industry and the development of marine technology. Nanhai institute of HEU payed more attention and made positive response.

The secretary of the CPC Harbin Engineering University Committee Gao Yan stated that the general secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that to build China into a strong maritime nation is an important strategic task for national rejuvenation, which is in line with a series of important speeches and major deployment of building China into a strong maritime nation made by the general secretary Xi Jinping since The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Providing an ideological compass and action guide for developing marine career and building a strong country in the new era. HEU will thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the important speech of general secretary Xi Jinping.

President and deputy secretary of HEU Party Committee Yao Yu pointed out that the visit has greatly encouraged our faculty and students, and has strengthened their determination and confidence to continue to promote the construction of the Nanhai Institute in accordance with the principles of "serving the strategy, highlighting the characteristics, opening up and cooperating, and integrating development", so as to more actively serve the national strategy and local economic and social development. We will continue to serve the national strategy, local economic and social development, seize the high point of scientific and technological innovation in the field of deep-sea, face the future, seize opportunities, serve the marinetime power strategy and the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, enhance the capability of basic research and original innovation in the field of deep-sea, and make the voice and contribution of HEU in the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port.

Representatives from Nanhai Institute also attended the event and listened to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s the speech on the spot, and said they were deeply inspired.

Professor Pang stated that as a front-line science and technology worker, I look back on decades of teaching career, during which I have personally experienced various stages of the development of national marine equipment and I have a lot of feelings. All along, the people of HEU have been following the major needs of China in developing Nanhai and deep-sea equipment. Constantly breaking through the key technologies of deep-sea equipment, overcoming one technical difficulty after another with the joint efforts of the scientific and technological workers of HEU, and devoting themselves to the engineering application and localization of related technologies.

PhD student Hou Yongkang stated that as a student of HEU, I will bear in mind HEU’s motto of “Precision of Engineering, Truth of Science”and further improve my research ability, and making great effort to achieve the goal of building China into strong marine.

PhD student Geng hang indicated that It is a great honour to listen to general secretary Xi JinPing’s important speech on the spot. Implementing maritime power strategy needs to focus on science and technology. As a student, I realized the importance of localization of deep-sea exploration equipment and I will definitely overcome difficulties and contribute my strength to the development of deep-sea exploration.

Nanhai Institute:  Deep Sea Outlet of HEU

To better serve national strategies, national defence construction and the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port, the university established the Nanhai Institute (previously known as the Nanhai Innovation & Development Center) in November 2019. With the support of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Hainan Province, Nanhai Institute has cooperated with Sansha City and Sanya City. Nanhai Institute was incorporated in July, 2020 in Sanya City, located in Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, and is a new research institution approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, supported by the Ministry of Education, and jointly built by HEU and The Education Department of Hainan Province, the The People’s Government of Sanya City. As the school's outlet to the deep-sea, Nanhai Institute layout of the south china sea rights maintenance equipment technology, deep-sea information technology, deep-sea energy and resource development equipment technology, marine ecological protection and marine tourism equipment technology and other directions, to carry out scientific research, personnel training and commercialization of scientific and technological results.