Speech by H.E.Mr Huang Yong at China's National Day Reception
2011-12-08 09:32
His Excellency Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, President of the Republic Of Fiji,

Honorable Mr. Filipe Bole, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,

Dear Ministers,

Friends of the Diplomatic Corps,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening, Ni Sa Bula.

Thank you very much for joining us tonight to celebrate the 62nd Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

I have been in this lovely country for two and half months. Ever since my arrival here, I have been impressed by the beautiful scenery of this island country, the amicable smile of our Fiji friends and the sincere friendship between China and Fiji.

What is more important to me is that the bilateral relations between our two countries have never been so close. Therefore, I would like to say I am excited and lucky to work in Fiji as an Ambassador to continue to promote the China-Fiji friendship and cooperation in the future.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Fiji, our two countries have enjoyed the long-standing cooperative relations, and we should be proud of the remarkable progress which have been made in the exchanges and cooperation in political, economic, cultural, educational and many other areas in the past 36 years.

With the frequent exchanges of high-level visits, our mutual political understanding has been constantly promoted. Take this year for example, His Excellency President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau attended the Shenzhen Universiade in August. Chinese Vice Premier H.E. Mr. Hui Liangyu has just finished a transit visit to Fiji yesterday.

I am satisfied to see that China and Fiji have developed steady and close economic and trade cooperation as well. Both of our two countries are important trade partners to each other, and the bilateral trade valued 129 million US dollars in 2010, an increase of 32.4 percent over the previous year. Fiji is an attractive tourist destination and more and more Chinese tourists are coming to Fiji. I would like to highlight that the China-Fiji economic and trade cooperation has many more good opportunities and huge potentials.

In cultural area, several Chinese art troups visited Fiji this year and staged on wonderful performances. The Shenzhen Art Troup also participated in the 2011 Hibiscus Festival and enjoyed the carnival together with our Fiji friends.

Besides, a Confucius Institute is expected to be established in the USP very soon, and I believe it will boost the cultural and educational exchanges between our two countries and two peoples.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Fiji friends who have been always supporting the development of the China-Fiji friendship and cooperative relations.

Ladies and gentlemen, China and Fiji are both developing countries, and we share the same desire of economic prosperity and social stability. We respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we firmly support each other's efforts to achieve economic development and social progress in accordance with our own national conditions. As a new Chinese Ambassador, I would like to make joint efforts with the Fiji government and friends to promote further progress in our bilateral relations.

Ladies and Gentlemen, on this wonderful occasion, may I propose a toast, to the prosperity of China and Fiji, to the ever-green China-Fiji friendship, and to everybody's health, Cheers!

Finally, I wish everybody a pleasant evening here. Thank you and Vinaka.