(21 September 2021, Virtual Reception)
Dear Overseas Chinese and Friends,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It’s my great pleasure to to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. During this tradition Chinese festival and the 72nd anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China via video, people enjoy reunions with families and friends, share mooncakes and express best wishes to each other. On this special occasion and on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Samoa, I would like to extend my festival greetings and sincere gratitude to all the friends who have been caring for China’s development and supporting China-Samoa relations over the years.
As time goes by, we are about to celebrate the 72nd birthday of People’s Republic of China. Through the continued efforts of the Communist Party of China and the entire nation in the past years, China has realized its first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and brought about a historic resolution to absolute poverty, living up to the expectations of both history and the people.
In the past 72 years, China maintains robust momentum in economic growth. From 1952 to 2019, China’s GDP soared from 67.9 billion yuan to 98.65 trillion yuan, propelling the nation to become the world’s second largest economy. China was the first major country to gain economic recovery during the pandemic, with its GDP expanding 2.3% on a year-on-year basis and exceeding 100 trillion yuan in 2020. In the first half of 2021, its GDP increases at an annual rate of 12.7%. China has now become a global economic powerhouse with the largest trade volume in goods and the second largest amount of foreign direct investment, hosting international events like China International Import Expo, China International Fair for Trade in Services and China Import and Export Fair to inject strong momentum in promoting world economic recovery and growth.
In the past 72 years, the people’s prosperity and well-being are always of vital importance to China. With its achievements in social and economic comprehensive development, China has reached its goal of eradicating absolute poverty and lifted all of 98.99 million rural residents out of poverty. Meanwhile, China is committed to making huge progress in ensuring people’s accessibility to its social security system ranging from childcare, education, employment, housing to elderly care and social assistance, covering nearly 1 billion people under its old-age insurance system and 1.36 billion people under the medical insurance system. The enrollment rate of compulsory education reached 100%. China has now set an example for the world in reducing poverty and improving people's livelihood.
Faced with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, China pulled through unprecedented difficulties and took the strictest measures to contain local transmission. Meanwhile, China has joined the global anti-pandemic efforts by sharing experience of prevention and strengthening vaccine cooperation. So far, China has provided more than one billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations and will strive to provide a total of two billion doses by the end of this year. At the 13th BRICS Summit on September 9th, 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced that on top of the 100 million U.S. dollars donation to COVAX, China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries within this year. China has also been actively promoting international cooperation on origin-tracing of the virus. Based on the principle of science, objectivity and impartiality, China has received WHO experts twice and co-released with WHO the joint mission report on origin-tracing, making positive contributions to the global response and gaining worldwide recognition.
The road ahead is long, and striving is the only way forward. China have broken through brambles and thorns to great accomplishments. We will continue to march ahead with courage. This year witnesses the delivery of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development. The Chinese nation will endeavor to adapt to the requirements of new development stage, accelerate our pace to set up a new pattern for development and forge towards our second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
Peace, concord, and harmony are ideas that Chinese nation has pursued and carried forward for more than 5,000 years. The Communist Party of China cares about the future of humanity and wishes to move forward in tandem with all progressive forces around the world. China has always worked to safeguard world peace, contribute to global development, and preserve international order.
Nowadays, mutual endeavor of international community is the key to counter the ongoing global changes and COVID-19 pandemic. China is willing to take its responsibilities as world's largest developing country, embrace the vision of mankind living in a community with a shared future, uphold the common values of humanity of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, and pursue joint progress in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual learning. China insists on practicing true multilateralism, safeguarding the international system centered on the UN and the international order based on international law, and seeking common prosperity through equal-footed and mutually beneficial cooperation. China will adhere steadfastly to the Belt and Road Initiative and accelerate the establishment of a “dual circulation” development pattern in which domestic economic cycle plays a leading role while international economic cycle remains its extension and supplement, so that the fruits of development will benefit all countries in the world.
2021 marks the 46th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Samoa. In the past 46 years, the two countries have constantly deepened political mutual trust, increasingly expanded practical cooperation, and further intensified people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
China and Samoa are good friends sharing weal and woe as well as good partners with mutual respect and benefit. China’s assistance has promoted economic and social development of Samoa and delivered tangible benefits to the Samoan people. It is witnessed by the past 46 years that, China has provided aids in building more than 20 infrastructure projects in Samoa, including Government Building, Parliament Building, Aquatic Centre, Tuanaimato Sports Complex, Apia Park, Faleolo International Airport, Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital and Maritime Academy. By now, China has conducted 5 phases of China-Samoa Agricultural Technical Cooperation Program, which has trained more than 10,000 Samoan farmers. Beyond 130 medical experts have been dispatched to Samoa for 19 phases of medical assistant program, bringing health care to more than 80,000 patients. The total number of Samoan people who has been trained or educated in China has exceeded 5,000.
Since the outbreak of pandemic, China and Samoa have worked together and gained fruitful results in information sharing, experience exchange, and financial and medical assistance. Medical supplies with worth of $1.53 million were provided by China to support Samoan people to counter coronavirus. In the meantime, pandemic failed to stop our pace to advance the resumption work of aid projects like Cultural and Art Center, Friendship Park, Police Academy and three primary schools to ensure that Samoan people will soon benefit from those projects.
As an old Samoan proverb goes, “Na tagisia La'ulu o se va'a ia goto.” Meet challenges with confidence and courage and the success will soon arrive. The long-standing China-Samoa friendship will provide us with courage to go through the test of global challenges. China will continuously embrace the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith to push forwards China-Samoa Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a higher level. I believe, with two peoples standing together hand in hand, China and Samoa will generate stronger mutual trust, closer cooperation and deeper friendship.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
Over the years, the Chinese community living in Samoa have made great contribution to economic and social development of Samoa and have boosted bilateral relations in various fields. During the pandemic, overseas Chinese compatriots in Samoa have provided myriads of assistance to our nation’s endeavor of fighting against virus and have helped to launch “Spring Sprout” Program in Samoa. I want to thank you all for your kind support. I am sure that you will continue to better integrate in Samoan culture and serve the Samoan society, making yourself an example in telling the China story and showcasing China’s image as a great civilization and responsible major nation.
Thank you and happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you all.