On the evening of June 20, 2016 local time, President Xi Jinping attended the grand welcoming banquet held by President Andrzej Duda of Poland at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

The Royal Castle in the evening was filled with bright lights and blossoming flowers. At around 7:45 p.m. local time, Xi Jinping and his wife Mme.Peng Liyuan arrived at the Royal Castle, where they were warmly greeted by Andrzej Duda and his wife Mme. Agata Kornhauser-Duda. The two heads of state and their wives shook hands and had warm talks with Chinese and foreign guests present at the welcoming banquet.

When the banquet started, the military band played national anthems of both countries. Afterwards, the two heads of state made remarks respectively.

Xi Jinping stressed in his speech that Poland is a country with colorful culture, hospitable people and booming development. The traditional friendship between the Chinese and Polish people enjoys a long history. Early in the World War II, the meritorious Polish pilot, Commander Witold Urbanowicz fought in China and Dr. Samual Flato traveled a long distance to offer support to the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Poland is among the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and has provided enormous help and support for the reconstruction of the country, which will always be remembered by the Chinese people.

At present, China and Poland enjoy more solid political mutual trust, booming development of mutually beneficial cooperation and increasingly closer exchanges in various fields, bringing tangible benefits to both countries and their peoples. Having developed into a new historical stage, China-Poland relations face new historical opportunities. China is willing to take the opportunity of the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership with Poland to inherit the past, usher in the future, strengthen the docking of strategies and deepen practical cooperation based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, to jointly build a better future of China-Poland relations.

Andrzej Duda expressed that though geographically far apart, China and Poland enjoy a long history of friendly exchanges. The "Belt and Road" initiative proposed by China in the 21st century has once again brought the two countries closer to each other. Poland stands ready to dovetail its national strategies for sustainable development with China's "Belt and Road" initiative and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields. Poland-China cooperation will also bring Europe and Asia closer.

The two heads of state and their wives listened to the piano concert of Chopin's masterpieces. The performance of the young artists was riveting, and Chopin's melodies were enchanting.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo of Poland as well as others attended the above events.