February 2nd, 2010

Vice-President Angelilli, Vice-Chairman Ivanova,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

Good evening. Welcome to the "Chinese New Year in the European Parliament".

For most of our European friends, memory is still fresh about the happy reunion with families and friends during the Christmas and New Year holidays. In China however, people are anxiously anticipating their New Year, the Spring Festival. While the ancient Europeans set the beginning of a year by measuring solar movement, my ancestors did so by observing the lunar wax and wane. Our wise men in the old days took different methods to reflect nature and universe, so we inherited different calendar systems that have been passed on for generations. We also inherited different traditions to greet a new year. My colleague once told me that in Brussels, Christmas Eve was so quiet, and the only sounds at mid night were the chimes and carols from the Saint-Michel Cathedral. He missed the battlefield-like thunders and trembles of Beijing's New Year's Eve, when millions of residents there would set out thousands tons of firecrackers.

Above all these differences however, I find more similarities between China and Europe. Christmas or Spring Festival, they are both moments when people get together with their families and relatives, enjoy love and kinship, relax from hard work and look forward to a promising year. The world may become more commercialized, modernized, globalized or even digitized, but people in China and Europe always carry on their traditions and stand by their values, such as respect of life, compassion for humanity, love of nature, cherishment of peace, and hope for a wonderful and meaningful life. These values never fade in the light of history, and they are widely shared among all cultures and nations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Each civilization is born out of its unique historical and natural environment. It is such uniqueness that makes the world as diversified and colorful as it is today. Through exchanges and interaction over centuries and milleniums, people from different culture know more about each other, and appreciate each other more. And they find what they uphold and pursue as the core basic values, are in most part common for all. We may come from different directions, but we are heading towards the same destination.

In recent years, China has increasingly more contacts and exchanges with the rest of the world, no less intensively with Europe. It is not surprising to find in China or Europe symbols of each other's culture. Many Chinese identify Valentine rose, Easter egg, Halloween pumpkin and Christmas song as a natural part of their life. Meanwhile, more Europeans hang up red lanterns upon Chinese New Year and enjoy dumplings and mooncakes on other Chinese festivals. I highly commend such attitude, that is to respect, understand and accept each other as equals, which I believe will contribute tremendously to building harmony and cooperation between nations, preventing misconception and confrontation, and therefore promoting common progress of the entire humanity. As two major sources of human civilization, stronger understanding, interaction and integration between China and Europe mean a lot to world peace, development and harmony.

It is because of this, that the Chinese Mission, together with the Delegation for Relations with China, bring the Chinese New Year into the European Parliament. I hope this event will open a China window to the distinguished MEPs and all the staff members, provoking more interest and insight about China, not limited only to its traditions and culture. I also welcome more MEPs and friends from Europe to visit China, so as to observe China at close range and understand China with an open heart. I'm sure that once you set foot there, you will be amazed by a country both old and young, full of openness and vitality. And you will witness a nation blazing its way unremittingly towards prosperity, liberty, democracy and progress.

Now, I'm pleased to introduce to you a few traditional Chinese art performances, and I wish you a pleasant evening. Thank you.