Your Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos,

Honorable Ministers,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors from the Diplomatic Corps,

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Evening!

A very warm welcome to the reception for the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. I and my colleagues at the Embassy really feel honored and delighted by your presence here.

Sixty-five years are not long in China’s 5000-year history. But never before has the world been so focusing on China as today. People like to know: what on earth is the driving force behind China’s enormous changes? What does China’s development mean to the rest of the world? I want to say, reform is the key word to interpret the unfolding changes in China. Over the past 9 months, China’s reform has taken new steps and attained remarkable achievements in such fields as politics, economy, society, culture, education, and defence. China has entered a new era of deepening reform in a comprehensive manner, which not only serves China’s own interests, but is beneficial to world peace and development as well.

At the same time, we are fully aware that China is still the world’s largest developing country, with per capita GDP ranking the 80th or so globally and nearly 200 million of its population living below the poverty line. There’s still a long way to go to fulfill the tasks of adjusting economic structure, narrowing the urban-rural gap, protecting environment, saving energy and resources, and combating corruption. Thus, China will never waver in deepening reform comprehensively and expanding opening up. This will bring about unprecedented opportunities of cooperation to the world. We’re committed to working together with Greece and other countries to create new brilliance on the path of pursuing mutual benefit and win-win result.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

To China，the year 2014 is the Year of Greece, and to Greece, it’s the Year of China. President Xi Jinping of China and President Papoulias of Greece held two meetings respectively in Sochi and in Rhodes. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid an official visit to Greece, during which a series of important agreements were signed. For the first time China and Greece held a Maritime Cooperation Forum, and the year 2015 was announced to be China-Greece Maritime Cooperation Year. Besides, 2014 has witnessed the exciting ceremony held at the Kalimarmaro Stadium for the lighting and handover of the flame for the 2nd Summer Youth Olympics taken place in Nanjing, China, the success of the Chinese Film Week in Athens, and the starting to establish a Chinese Cultural Center in Greece. What is more, with the help of the Greek Government and Greek Navy, 79 Chinese nationals were evacuated from Tripoli to Athens, where they returned safely to China. Thanks to the valuable efforts of many people, my Embassy has been able to collect and present here nearly 200 photos to record some of the memorable moments of this year’s China-Greece relations. I believe many of you have found yourselves in these pictures. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for constant care and support to the development of friendly relations between China and Greece.

Ladies and gentlemen, my dear friends,

China needs Greece as much as Greece needs China. Our two peoples are good friends in need and good partners in pursuit of common growth. As the Chinese Ambassador, I will do my very best to further enhance the strong ties between China and Greece, and I look forward to working closely with you in this endeavor.

In closing, may I propose a toast,

to the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China,

to the increasing friendship and cooperation between China and Greece,

to the health of everyone present.

Cheers!