Remarks by Acting Consul General Shi Yuanqiang at the 2023 Chinese New Year Reception
(January 16, Sheraton Los Angeles San Gabriel)
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends,
Good evening.
The Year of the Tiger is coming to an end and the Year of the Rabbit is approaching. At this moment of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new, it gives me great pleasure to celebrate the 2023 Spring Festival with friends from all walks of life in our consular district. On behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, I wish to convey my festive greetings to the Chinese communities, Chinese students, Chinese enterprise employees and all our friends in the consular district.
The year 2022 is a crucial year of transition, which witnessed both challenges and opportunities, crises and hopes. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups forged ahead in unity, coordinated epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, and continued to make achievements on all fronts. China’s economy remains the second largest in the world and enjoys steady development. China’s GDP for the whole year is expected to exceed 120 trillion yuan; a bumper grain harvest has been achieved for consecutive years. We have consolidated our gains in poverty elimination and made utmost efforts to solve the people’s pressing difficulties and concerns. The Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games concluded with a resounding success and Chinese athletes achieved extraordinary results. China’s aerospace and aviation industry reached new heights. Shenzhou spacecrafts soared into the heavens in a row; China’s space station was fully completed;China’s first large passenger aircraft, C919, was delivered to its first customer. We have reaffirmed our global commitments, sped up the building of a Beautiful China, actively participated and played a leading role in the global climate governance to protect our planet.
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has been successfully convened with worldwide attention. A blueprint has been drawn for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. Under the strong leadership of the CPC with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, the Chinese people are marching in confident strides toward the second centenary goal of building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. China will keep its development momentum and the stability, continuity and constructive nature of its major policies. China will remain committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, firmly pursue a win-win strategy of opening-up, create greater opportunities for the world through high-quality development and high-level opening-up, and strive to build a human community with a shared future.
The year 2022 is also a crucial year for China-US relations. Despite difficulties and challenges, China made great efforts to explore the right way for the two major countries to get along with each other. President Xi Jinping and President Biden had three conversations last year. Last November, the two heads of state held a face-to-face meeting in Bali, Indonesia and had candid, in-depth, constructive and strategic discussions on major issues concerning China-US relations and the prospects for world peace and development. President Xi pointed out that China-US relations should not be a zero-sum game where one side out-competes or thrives at the expense of the other. The successes of China and the United States are opportunities, not challenges, for each other. The two sides should form a correct perception of each other’s domestic and foreign policies and strategic intentions, respect each other, coexist in peace, pursue win-win cooperation, and work together to ensure that China-US relations move forward on the right course.
Last year, the sub-national exchange and cooperation between China and our consular district maintained good momentum. The then Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. and the new Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited the BYD Lancaster manufacturing plant and the Port of Long Beach and talked warmly with the local workers. The events commemorating the Flying Tigers carried forward the spirit of China-US cooperation and renewed the friendship between our two peoples. The Port of Qingdao and the Port of Long Beach celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of sister port relationship, reaching another milestone of the deep friendship between the two ports and the two cities. The 18th Chinese American Film/TV Festival was successfully held. San Diego Zoo had its first Lunar New Year celebration, with fascinating Chinese traditions and customs. Friends from different walks of life are committed to the friendly exchanges between China and the United States. They have strong and sincere aspirations for a better China-US relationship and have been making unremitting efforts. It proves that the friendship between Chinese and American people is the bedrock of China-US relations.
The Chinese communities, out of their love for the motherland and good wishes for China-US relations, have organized meaningful events to celebrate China’s National Day, commemorate the 50th anniversary of Chinese Ping-Pong team’s first visit to the US, support the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and so on. They have taken an active part in promoting Chinese culture and acted as envoys of China-US friendship, playing a vital role in enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples and promoting the bilateral relationship. All these warm and fond memories have bolstered our confidence in the prospects of China-US relations and sub-national cooperation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
A sound and steady China-US relationship is critical to the well-being of the two peoples and the future of the planet. The world is big enough for China and the United States to develop and prosper together. The history of China-US relations tells us that both countries gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. We should avoid and prevent misunderstandings, misperceptions from veering into confrontation or conflict. We should keep our faith in China-US friendship, promote mutual exchange and cooperation, expand common interests, improve the well-being of the two peoples and bring China-US relations back to the right course of sound and steady development.
Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has made travel difficult, but the close ties between Chinese and American people remain resilient. Since the outbreak of the pandemic,the CPC and the Chinese government has put the people first and put life first all along. Following a science-based and targeted approach, China has adapted its COVID response in light of the evolving situation, and protected the life and health of the people to the greatest extent possible. The recent adjustment and implementation of the measures on cross-border travel will better facilitate the safe and orderly travel between China and the US and push forward our bilateral exchange and cooperation.
In the year ahead, the Chinese Consulate General will make concerted efforts with friends and compatriots from all walks of life to implement the consensus reached between our two presidents, strengthen sub-national cooperation and people-to-people exchange, and win greater popular support for China-US relationship. We will continue to serve our people through diplomatic work and provide better service to the Chinese communities, Chinese students and Chinese enterprise employees in our consular district.
In just a few days, we will enter the Year of the Rabbit. Rabbit symbolizes prosperity and good luck in both Chinese and American cultures. We wish the motherland prosperity and the Chinese people happiness. We wish China-US relations and sub-national exchange and cooperation brighter prospects. We wish all of you health, happiness and success in the Year of the Rabbit.
Thank you.
