(March 30, 2012, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse)
Respected Ms. Wang Zhizhen, Vice Chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,
His Excellency Mr. Jimmy Willie, Ambassador of Vanuatu to China, and his spouse,
Respected Mrs. Rosina Hilton, Spouse to Speaker of Parliament of Vanuatu,
Respected Mrs. Mildred Sope, President of Vanuatu China Friendship Association,
Dear guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good noon! We are hosting today’s event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vanuatu. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and China Oceania Friendship Association, please allow me to extend our warmest welcome to all the friends from both China and other countries present here today. Among them are the Vanuatu-China Friendship Association (VCFA) delegation composed of spouses of Vanuatu Ministers, Ambassadors and diplomats from Vanuatu, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Micronesia and Papua New Guinea, Trade Representative from Pacific Island Forum, Special Envoy of China Pacific Island Countries Forum Dialogue, Representatives from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Department of Central Committee of CPC, Chinese Ministry of Education, All-China Women’s Federation, Former Chinese Ambassadors to Vanuatu.
China and Vanuatu are far away from each other in terms of geographic location, yet friendship and cooperation bring our two peoples together. On March 26, 1982, China and Vanuatu officially established the diplomatic relation. Over the past 30 years, through the efforts of both sides, a new partnership was built up between our two countries featuring sincerity, cooperation and mutual benefit, which set a good example for friendly and cooperative relations between China and Pacific island countries. The recent years have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, and fruitful cooperation was carried out in various fields such as economy and trade, agriculture, education, aviation and jurisdiction. In 2010, the bilateral trade volume reached 23.26 million US dollars. To support Vanuatu’s endeavor to boost economic and social development, China has provided Vanuatu with economic and technological aid to the best of our ability. What’s moving is that, when massive earthquake hit China’s Sichuan province in 2008, Vanuatu President Mataskelekele and Prime Minister Lini extended their condolences respectively, and the Vanuatu government donated 50,000 US dollars to China. Facts proved that the development of friendly and cooperative relations between China and Vanuatu not only bring about concrete benefits to our two peoples, but also promote the stability and development of the Asia Pacific region.
As one of the earliest national people’s organizations, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries has been making unswerving efforts to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation between the people of China and of other countries around the world, including Vanuatu. To further facilitate the friendship cause with Oceanian countries, in 2005, we initiated and established China Oceania Friendship Association. In May 2008, I led a delegation to visit Vanuatu. During that visit, we met with top leadership of Vanuatu, including President Mataskelekele, Prime Minister Lini, and Speaker Avok, and experienced the hospitality of the Vanuatu people. Shortly after that visit, the Vanuatu-China Friendship Association was officially launched, which added new strength to the development of China-Vanuatu friendship. Today, we are more than happy to welcome the VCFA delegation. In the meantime, we are planning to organize a CPAFFC and COFA delegation to visit the beautiful Vanuatu later this May, in order to push forward the friendly relations and pragmatic cooperation between our two peoples.
China and Vanuatu are both developing countries, faced with similar tasks of development. The two sides have broad areas for cooperation since we share a lot of common interests. We would like to take the 30th anniversary as an opportunity, to work with our Vanuatu friends and push the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries to a new height.
Last but not least, I wish a full success to the Vanuatu-China Friendship Association delegation for your visit in China.
Now I’d like to propose a toast,
To the friendship and cooperation between China and Vanuatu,
To the health of Vice Chairwoman Wang Zhizhen,
To the health of Ambassador Jimmy Willie and his spouse,
To the health of all the friends present here today,
Cheers!
