Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Good afternoon! Welcome to the awards ceremony of the “Reviewing the 50-Year Journey of China-EU Relations, Joining Hands to Embrace a Shared Future” creative contest. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Mission to the EU, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the participants and judges from both Chinese and European sides for their contributions to the successful hosting of the contest. I also extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency Mr. Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council, and all the friends who have long cared for and supported China-EU relations.
Now is the season when spring fills the earth and all things are full of vitality. In just a few days, on May 6th, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. At this important juncture where the two sides take stock of the past and look into the future, we hold this creative contest, hoping that every one of you can join the celebration of the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations through your hard work and inspiration-filled works, to deepen mutual understanding between the peoples and promote the sound and steady growth of China-EU relations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Fifty years ago, the older generations of Chinese and European leaders, with their extraordinary political courage, broke through the Cold War barriers and made the decision to establish diplomatic relations. Over the past 50 years, China-EU relations have withstood the test of international vicissitudes and continued to make steady progress. They have not only achieved mutual success but also lighted up the whole world.
China-Europe cooperation has played an important role in improving the well-being of people on both sides. China and the EU are important trading partners with deeply intertwined economies. European car brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo are well-known in China, and French wine, Belgian chocolate, and Spanish ham are increasingly finding their way onto the tables of Chinese people. For European people, “Made in China” is an indispensable part of life, and Chinese cuisine is favored by many Europeans. China- Europe cooperation has played an important role in promoting global sustainable development. China and the EU have shared concepts and complementary comparative strengths in green and low-carbon development, and seen fruitful cooperation in this regard. The Chinese new energy vehicles running on European roads are a vivid example of the mutually beneficial cooperation. China and the EU have actively promoted the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, worked together to improve the global climate governance system, and jointly promoted green, low-carbon, and sustainable development for the benefit of all mankind. China- Europe cooperation has played an important role in maintaining world peace and stability. Both China and the EU are staunch advocates of multilateralism, and they have jointly promoted the resolution of international and regional hotspot issues and maintained close communication and coordination on major issues concerning the future of humanity. In this world full of changes and turbulence, China stands ready to join hands with Europe to inject certainty into the world with the stability of China-EU relations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
The key to sound state-to-state relations lies in close bonds between peoples. Looking back on the development of China-EU relations, we see friendship between the peoples enhanced through cultural exchanges. The works of European literary giants such as Hugo, Goethe, and Shakespeare are widely circulated in China. Meanwhile, China’s Four Great Classical Novels are very popular among European readers, and the science fiction masterpiece “The Three-Body Problem” has swept through European book fairs. It is even more gratifying that the younger generation of China and Europe generally have friendly sentiments towards each other. In China, a great many of children know the stories of Manneken Pis, Tintin, and the Smurfs. European landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Rome Colosseum are the must-visit places for many Chinese children’s first overseas trips, and European universities are among the top choices for many Chinese college students. At the same time, China’s splendid history and culture have also deeply attracted the younger generation of Europe. Not long ago, we celebrated the Chinese New Year with European friends at the Brussels Bright Festival. Traditional Chinese cultural activities such as tea art performances and lantern riddles were very popular among young people, and I was also very pleased to see that the giant pandas are treated like stars in the Pairi Daiza Zoo in Belgium. What also amaze me is that an increasing number of young Europeans are very keen to learn the Chinese language.
At present, people-to-people exchanges between China and Europe are advancing with unprecedented breadth and depth. Last year, during his trip to Europe, President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative of “increasing the number of French students studying in China to over 10,000 and doubling the scale of European youth exchanges within the next three years.” This initiative is being steadily implemented. With the successive introduction of China’s unilateral visa-free policy for 24 EU member states and the facilitation of payment, accommodation, transportation, and other inbound tourism services, traveling to China has become increasingly convenient, you can go on a spontaneous trip any time you want. I hope that European friends from all walks of life will take advantage of China’s policy dividends, travel more in China, observe China with your own eyes and experiences, and understand China with independent thinking. I’m sure you will see a real China, a China that is warm and friendly, open and inclusive, diverse and full of vitality.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
There are winners and losers in competitions, but there is no distinction in the contributions to China-Europe friendship. On the journey of carrying forward friendship, every effort is immensely precious, and every act of
kindness shines brightly. This creative contest is just a beginning. On our shared journey, there will be many more wonderful experiences. I look forward that all of you will take the celebration of the 50th anniversary as a new starting point, continue to be supporters, participants, and contributors to China-Europe friendship, and make your contributions to a better future for China-EU relations.
Thank you all.