28 September 2011

The Hon Minister Jason Clare MP,
Senator the Hon Kate Lundy,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

At this beautiful blossom springtime, we gather here to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

First let me express warm welcome to every guest, and sincere thanks for your support to China-Australia relations and the Chinese Embassy over the past year.

In human history, 62 years is a blink of an eye.

But for China, it means great changes.

It opened a new chapter in China's relations with the rest of the world, where China's future is more closely linked to the pulse of the world.

China cannot develop itself in isolation from the rest of the world, and the world needs China for common development.

In 62 years, what has China brought to the world?

China's development has improved the well-being of 1.3 billion Chinese people.

With over 30 years of reform and opening up, China's economy has grown 16 times bigger. Its national strength has increased substantially.

People no longer live to survive and are leading a better life.

In 2010, there were 930 million mobile subscribers in China, and 57.39 million people traveled overseas. Every a hundred city household own ten private cars.

But China remains a developing country pure and simple.

Its per capita GDP is one ninth of Australia, whereas its poverty-stricken population is seven times the entire population of Australia.

China's modernization still has a long way to go.

China's development has brought abundant opportunities to Australia.

China is fully implementing its 12th Five-Year Plan.

Industrialization and urbanization keep developing fast, and industrial restructuring has quickened.

Consumption and investment demand has grown strongly, and efforts have been redoubled to save energy and cut emission.

All these offer a "China opportunity" for Australia's economic growth.

In 2010, China purchased a quarter of Australia's exports.

China's imports and investments have increased income of every Australian family by 10,000 dollars, created tens of thousands of jobs and promoted growth in our two countries.

Our peoples have received more tangible benefits from closer China-Australia relations.

China's development has given impetus to the world economy.

China strives to enlarge common interests so that other countries will continue to benefit from China's development.

In the past decade, with an annual growth of 10.5%, China's contribution to global economic growth has been over 10%.

In the past decade, China's annual import value was 750 billion US dollars, which provided 14 million jobs to other countries and regions.

In the past decade, China's cumulative direct overseas investments increased from less than one billion US dollars to 59 billion, a boost for growth and livelihood in many countries.

China's development has promoted world peace and cooperation.

The White Paper on China's Peaceful Development recently issued by the Chinese Government reaffirms China's unswerving policy of pursuing scientific, independent, open, peaceful, cooperative and common development.

Peaceful development carries forward the Chinese historical and cultural tradition.

It is determined by China's basic national conditions and a choice that represents the global trend.

China is the only nuclear-weapon country that has publicly stated that it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons.

China has dispatched more peace-keeping personnel than any other permanent members of the UN Security Council.

China takes an active part in international counter-terrorism cooperation, and has used concrete actions rather than empty words to fulfill its responsibility for a peaceful and secure world.

China carries out friendly cooperation with its surrounding countries, develops good-neighborly relations and treats its neighbors as partners.

China has made visible contributions to cooperation and prosperity across the region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since China and Australia established diplomatic relations nearly forty years ago, our convergence of interests has never been stronger, and people-to-people exchanges have never been closer.

The bilateral relations have never had such rich content and a broad prospect for further development.

As Prime Minister Gillard remarked, China's development is good for Australia, the region and the whole world. Prosperity can be shared and we are able to jointly create wealth.

China stands ready to work with all other countries to achieve common development and bring about peace, prosperity and well-being to the people of China, Australia and beyond.

Now I propose a toast,

To closer cooperation between our two countries;

To the friendship between our two peoples; and

To the prosperity of China and Australia.

Cheers!