President Xi Jinping has encouraged Ocean University of China to use its centennial year as a milestone to better align its development with national strategies, in order to bolster the country's strength in education and marine capabilities.

Xi made the remarks in a reply letter sent on Thursday to the university's faculty and students, who recently wrote to him to express their commitment to serve the strategic task of building China into a strong maritime country.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, congratulated the university's faculty, students and alumni on its centenary celebrations.

He urged the university to refine disciplinary arrangement and talent cultivation models, further focus on original and pioneering research for making breakthroughs in marine science and technology, and nurture more outstanding talent with a strong commitment to the marine field.

It is hoped that the university will "make greater contributions to building China into a leading country in education and a strong maritime country", he said.

Xi has emphasized on multiple occasions that building China into a strong maritime country is a major strategic task for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and has called for efforts to strive for high-level independence and self-reliance in marine science and technology.

It was stated in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC that China "will develop the marine economy, protect the marine ecological environment, and step up efforts to build itself into a strong maritime country".

Located in the coastal city of Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, Ocean University of China was founded in 1924 as the Private Qingdao University and adopted its current name in 2002.

With distinctive strengths in marine and fisheries disciplines, the university has cultivated numerous leading figures in the nation's marine industry, including Dong Zhaoqian, who led China's first Antarctic expedition in 1984.

Yang Yichao, a doctoral student at the university, said he is determined to dedicate himself to the advancement of China's marine industry with professional knowledge and practical experience.

"The reply letter is an inspiration that reminds us of our responsibilities ... and encourages us to actively engage in innovations for marine science and technology," Yang said.

Li Huajun, who has been working at the university since 1992, said the efforts of the Party and the country in building up China's strengths in education and marine capabilities are unprecedented.

"I never felt so close to the dream of building China into a leading country in education and a strong maritime country," Li added.