On April 26, 2019, President Xi Jinping attended a ceremony at which Tsinghua University awarded Russian President Vladimir Putin an honorary doctorate at Beijing Friendship Hotel.

The ceremony was held in a solemn and warm atmosphere. When the two heads of state entered, hundreds of teachers and students from Tsinghua University stood up and warmly welcomed them. The orchestra played the national anthems of Russia and China.

The head of Tsinghua University read out the encomium and awarding degree resolution, and awarded Vladimir Putin an honorary doctorate certificate.

In his speech, Vladimir Putin said that Tsinghua University is a world-renowned university and the alma mater of President Xi Jinping, and has cultivated many outstanding talents. Today, in the presence of my good friend President Xi Jinping, Tsinghua University conferred an honorary doctorate on me and held a grand ceremony. I feel honored and deeply touched. China has both a time-honored and splendid civilization and remarkable achievements in scientific and technological innovation. Russia-China educational exchanges and cooperation are developing rapidly, with a large number of students from both sides studying in each other's countries. I sincerely wish Tsinghua University greater achievements. I hope all the students can study hard and make progress every day to inherit the friendship between Russia and China and jointly create a better future for Russia-China relations.

Xi Jinping said in his speech that in a grand, warm and friendly atmosphere, we have witnessed the awarding of an honorary doctorate by Tsinghua University to President Vladimir Putin. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to President Vladimir Putin. President Vladimir Putin is a good friend and an old friend of the Chinese people, and has made historic contributions to deepening political mutual trust between China and Russia and promoting bilateral cooperation in various fields. It gives me great pleasure to witness the awarding of the honorary doctorate by Tsinghua University to President Vladimir Putin today. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. Looking into the future, young Chinese and Russian students shoulder the important mission of carrying forward the friendship between the two peoples and promoting the common development of the two countries. I hope you will work hard and diligently to pass on the baton of friendship between the two peoples, contribute your youth, wisdom and strength to the great cause of China-Russia everlasting friendship, and to the respective development and revitalization of the two countries.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the activity.