Honourable Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester Mrs Diane Hawkins JP LLB
The Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Mr Paul Andrews,
Respected President of Confederation of Chinese Associations U.K.,Mr. Zeng Xianchu
Respected President of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM), Lisa Kit Yee Yam DL,
Mayors, Consulate-Generals and leaders of overseas Chinese organizations,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening! Today, we gather here to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the guests and express my sincere gratitude to friends who have long cared about China's development and supported Sino-British friendship!
Seventy-five years ago, the Chinese people won national independence and liberation through hard battles. Over all those years, we have taken a great leap from standing up to getting prosperous and becoming stronger. Since 2012, China has made historic achievements and undergone massive changes in its development under the strong central leadership with Xi Jinping at its core, and guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We have achieved the first centenary goal, and are marching towards the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country, by advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization.
Recently the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has been successfully held, drawing a grand blueprint for promoting Chinese-style modernization by deepening reform in many fields. The Session adopted over 300 important measures, demonstrating China's strong determination and sense of mission for an all-round reform. In the next five years, China will promote high-quality development, accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, advance green and low-carbon transformation, and expand higher-standard opening up. This will bring more opportunities to countries around the world, including the UK.
In the face of a turbulent world and accelerated changes unseen in a century, China has always stuck to world peace and development. When some draw ideological lines and stir up opposition among political blocs, China rises above differences and pursues peaceful coexistence. When some agitate for de-risking and decoupling, China insists on win-win cooperation and safeguards the security and stability of the global production and supply chain. When some fan the flames and intensify conflicts, China encourages peace talks and promotes national reconciliation and political settlements. In a word, China has always upheld peace and justice and stood on the right side of history.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Over the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, China and the UK have achieved fruitful exchanges and cooperation in various fields. President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Keir Starmer not long ago, pointing out the direction for the bilateral relations in the new era. Both believed that a closer China-UK relationship benefits the two countries in the long run, and agreed to maintain exchanges at all levels, promote stable and long-lasting bilateral relations, and work together for world peace and development. History shows that Sino-British cooperation is favourable to both countries and the world. We should respect each other, focus on cooperation, manage differences and face up to challenges together. The Chinese Consulate General in Manchester is ready to join hands with insightful people from all walks of life to promote and deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields in pursuit of a sustained, mutually beneficial, stable and healthy China-UK relationship.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Now, I would like to propose a toast to our great motherland’s prosperity and people’s well-being and to the friendship between China and the UK. Cheers!
