Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening. Welcome to the Chinese Embassy. It's a great pleasure to meet so many friends from the cultural sector.

I consider myself very fortunate to represent my country in Malta, not least because it is one of the most beautiful and pleasant places to live. But more importantly, it is because our friendship with Malta has the overwhelming support of the people here. Throughout the past 46 years since we established diplomatic relations, our ties have stayed strong no matter how the international situation evolved. This would not have been possible without the deep people-to-people bond between our two countries. Both China and Malta are proudly known for immense historical and cultural heritage. Both nations are driven by diversity, openness and inclusiveness. Our people-to-people and cultural exchanges are flourishing, which is truly exciting. We have seen enormous interest among the Maltese in the Chinese language and traditional Chinese medicine. All this is bringing our people closer to each other.

The flourishing of the cultural exchanges must be credited to our Maltese friends, especially those present this evening. The China Cultural Center has long benefited from the help of the cultural authorities of Malta in organizing all kinds of events. It also enjoys the support of important partners such as Arts Council Malta, Mediterranean Conference Center, PTR ,Valletta 2018 Foundation and Fondazzjoni Kreattivita. This year, for the very first time, the Happy Chinese New Year was unveiled in the Parliament of Malta, thanks to its support. I also wish to acknowledge the role of Malta's media, including TV stations, newspapers and websites, in introducing Chinese culture to Malta. Let me take this opportunity to thank you all for the valuable contribution to the cultural exchange, mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples.

The China Cultural Centre has just celebrated its 15th anniversary. As the first of its kind in Europe, the Center has organized many marvelous activities. For the past two years since I came to Malta, I have been deeply impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the staff of the Center. It is their hard work that has brought about the success of flagship events such as Happy Chinese New Year in Valletta, World Taichi Day and Chinese Film Day, which have been warmly received by the Maltese people and become an important bridge for China-Malta friendship.

Not long ago, I had the honor to accompany Prime Minister Muscat to the inaugural China International Import Expo in Shanghai, where our two governments signed an MOU on Belt and Road cooperation. It demonstrated the readiness of both sides to work together for win-win results under the Belt and Road Initiative. It provides the blueprint for elevating China-Malta cooperation in the years to come, and people-to-people exchange is an important component of this blueprint. As we get ready to take China-Malta relations to the next higher level, let us join hands to make the people of our two countries closer friends and greater partners.

Have a nice evening. Thank you.