Shanxi University and the Taiyuan Polytechnic University, both among the oldest modern higher education institutions in China, celebrated their centenaries Tuesday.
Senior Chinese leaders Li Peng and Li Lanqing sent their congratulations to the two universities. U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan sent a congratulatory message to Shanxi University.
Both universities are offshoots of the Grand School of Shanxi, founded in 1902 as China's third modern college after today's Beijing University and Tianjin University.
Shanxi University is now the only comprehensive university in Shanxi Province in north China.
( People's Daily May 2, 2002)
