On January 5, 2018, a signing ceremony of strategic cooperation between General Casting and Forging Factory, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (GCFF) and HUAT and a joint-establishment of a research center of lightweight aluminum alloy with four institutions involved were held at General Casting and Forging Factory. Mr. Chen Hongbing, CPC of HUAT, Mr. Zhang Youbing, vice president of HUAT, Mr. Xu Xiang, director of department of science and technology of HUAT and Mr. Zheng Daxin, dean of school of material engineering science of HUAT and Mr. Zhang Yuanhao, branch party secretary of school of material engineering science attended the ceremony.

At the signing ceremony, Mr. Yuan Sanhong, general manager of the GCFF introduced briefly the background, construction plan and future goal of the cooperation and establishment of the joint-research center. Mr. Zheng Daxin made a report entitled “complementary advantages, mutual benefit and common development". It is reported that the joint-research center involves four institutions, including HUAT, GCFF, SRIF (Shenyang Research Institute of Foundry and GDFHZL( Guangdong Fenghua Zhuoli Technology., Ltd.) The center is founded in GCFF.

Subsequently, Mr. Zhang Youbing, on behalf of HUAT, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with GCFF. Mr. Zeng Daxin, on behalf HUAT, signed an agreement on joint establishment of a research center of automobile lightweight Aluminum Alloy low-pressure casting with the other three partners. According to the development of GCFF in 2018, Mr. Zheng Daxin signed an agreement of joint development of technology with Mr. Peng Wangan, deputy manager of GCFF.

After the signing ceremony, Mr. Cai Shilong, party secretary of equipment company of DFM and Mr. Chen Hongbing, party secretary of HUAT made important speeches, expressing their goodwill about the strategic cooperation and the establishment of the research center.

It is believed that the cooperation and the establishment of the research center will provide strong and powerful support to the long-term and stable cooperation, advance the level of cooperation in production, learning and research and strengthen confluence in technology research and development, personnel training and achievements transformation between the two sides.