Acting Prime Minister, the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mataafa,
Honorable Ministers, Members of Parliament，
Dear Colleagues from Diplomatic Corps,
Dear Overseas Chinese and friends,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Tonight, we gather here for the grand celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Samoa, I would like to express my warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the distinguished guests for your gracious presence. I would also like to extend my sincere festival greetings to the Overseas Chinese as well as all the Chinese friends who are currently working in Samoa.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The past 70 years have witnessed the spectacular rise of the Chinese nation. Under the firm leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have united as one and achieved historic feats:
China has made historic achievements of building a major country in world economy. With the GDP increasing by more than 450 times, from 30 billion US DOLLARS in the early years of New China to more than 13.6 trillion US DOLLARS in 2018, China is now the world’s second largest economy. With the formation of a comparative comprehensive industrial system, China is now the top manufacturer of more than 200 products, becoming the largest industrial country. The Gross National Income of China has increased by 135 times, from 70 US DOLLARS to 9470 US DOLLARS in 2018. Chinese economy has been integrated into the world economy, with the total of trade of goods increased by 224 times, from 20 billion US DOLLARS to 4.62 trillion US DOLLARS. China has become the largest trader in goods and the second biggest destination of inflows of foreign investment. China will not stop its effort to pursue higher-quality opening-up.
China has taken historic steps to develop China into a science and technology power. China has led the world in the number of Research and Development professionals and invention patent applications for many years in a row. It also ranks second in the world in terms of R&D spending. China has made remarkable achievements in manned space flight, lunar exploration, quantum science, deep-sea exploration, supercomputing and satellite navigation and many other spheres. These are all fruits of the strategy of pursuing innovation-driven development. China has more than 1.3 billion mobile broadband users. Modern information technologies, such as big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, are thriving in the country. The mileage of operational high-speed railway surpassed 30,000 kilometers, accounts for more than two thirds of the total in the world.
China has fundamentally improved living-standard of Chinese people and made historic achievements of reducing poverty. In the 40-odd years since reform and opening up, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty under the standard of UN, and formed the largest group of middle-income of more than 400 million people in the world. China has established a basic pension insurance system covering more than 900 million people and a basic health insurance system covering 1.3 billion personnel, which helped increase the life expectancy of Chinese people from 35 to 77. China has made nine-year compulsory education basically universal and free. Chinese people acquired stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security.
Ladies and gentlemen,
China has grown by embracing the world, and the world has also benefited from China’s development. China’s achievements are not only earned by hard work over decades, but also won by our persistence in opening up and engaging in competition in world market.China’s opening up has contributed to both China and rest of the whole world. As President Xi said, when assessing China’s development, not just seeing what achievements China has made, but also taking into account what contribution China has made to the world:
First, China injected strong impetus into the world economy. In terms of contribution to global economic growth, China has accounted for more than 30% in the world and ranked first since 2006, becoming the main stabilizer and engine of world economy. The vast market of China also created numerous opportunities for other economies. From 2009 to 2018, it is estimated that nominal import of goods in China increased by 1.12 times, reaching 2.14 trillion US DOLLARS. The nominal import of services increased by 3.3 times, reaching 525.8 billion US DOLLARS, out of which tourism accounted for more than half it. In 2018,over 150 million outbound visits are registered in china, significantly improving economy of their destination countries. It is estimated that in the coming 15 years, China will import more than 24 trillion US DOLLARS in goods, attracting 2 trillion US DOLLARS FDI and investing 2 trillion US DOLLARS abroad, creating over 2 billion outbound visits. The more China’s door opens up, the more opportunities we will provide for the world.
Second, China contributed to connectivity all over the world with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Through concerted efforts, BRI has won recognition and popularity all over the world. More than 150 countries and international organizations have signed relevant cooperation documents under its framework. And BRI has brought real benefits to the countries and peoples involved. The total trade volume between China and the BRI countries has exceeded 6 trillion US DOLLARS, with more than 80 billion US DOLLARS having been invested. The 82 overseas trade&economy zones jointly built by China and other parties have created about 300,000 jobs and tax revenue worth of over 2 billion US DOLLARS for host countries. It is indicated by World Bank that the BRI cooperation will cut the cost of global trade by 1.1 percent to 2.2 percent, and increase the growth rate of the 2019 global economy by at least 0.1 percent. Samoa is one of the first countries in the Pacific region to sign MOU on jointly building the BRI. There is huge potential and great prospects for China-Samoa cooperation under the BRI framework, especially in terms of environmental protection, climate change, infrastructure building, information technology, cultural exchanges and so on.
Third, China fosters fairness,reasonableness and efficiency in global governance system. China persistently upholds a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and the principle that global affairs should be settled by the peoples of the world through consultation. As the second largest contributor to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping assessment, China has sent 39,000 peacekeeping military personnel to UN peace missions around the world, the largest among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. China has played an active part in the multilateral process of sustainable development, nuclear security, cyber-security and non-proliferation. China has been working with other countries to seek a political settlement of hot-spot issues.
China played an important role in signing and implementing the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. We made huge progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with CO2 emission per unit of GDP in 2018 being 45.8% lower than that in 2005. Forest stock increased by 4.56 billion cubic meters from 2005, as a result of new afforestation in China since 2000, which accounts for 25 percent of the global total. Again, it shows that China has lived up to its responsibility as a major country.
The path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics have kept developing, blazing a new trail for other developing countries to achieve modernization. It offers a new option for other countries and nations who want to speed up their development while preserving their independence; and it offers Chinese wisdom and a Chinese solution to solving the problems facing mankind.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the largest developing country in the world, China has followed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the right approach to justice and interests, to push forward cooperation with Samoa and other Pacific Island Countries. This year marks the 44th anniversary of establishment of China - Samoa diplomatic relations. China and Samoa have maintained the momentum of developing our relations. Last September, Prime Minister Tuilaepa visited China and had separate meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang, renewing the direction for China-Samoa relations. Last November, during the historic meeting between President Xi Jinping and Pacific Island leaders in PNG, all parties agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Pacific Island Countries, featuring mutual respect and common development. To implement the important consensus reached at that meeting, we launched the 2019 China-Pacific Island Countries Tourism Year in Samoa. Next month, China and Samoa will jointly hold the 3rd China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Development Cooperation Forum. This will be another milestone of the relationship between China and Pacific Island Countries.
China and Samoa also pushed forward cooperation in various areas. This year, Chinese Government strongly supported Samoa’s hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games, particularly the construction of the Sports Complex, the renovation of the Apia Park Stadium, Aquatic Center and training Samoan athletes and chefs in China and Samoa. Confucius Institute, Chinese medical team, Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project, Technical Cooperation of the Aquatic Center and Apia Park Stadium all runs smoothly. This year, 23 Samoan students have been awarded Chinese Government Scholarship and China-PIF Scholarship. More than 110 Samoan nationals from government and private sectors received training in China in wide-ranging fields, such as trade and investment, sports, health, information technology, public management and catering.The Guangdong Province of China also pitched in, including Guangdong Medical Mission “Bright Journey” to be held next month, construction of China-Samoa Friendship Park and Samoa Cultural and Arts Center.China welcomes Samoa got on board the fast train of China’s development and expand our cooperation in terms of trade, investment, technology, sports and so on.
I have full faith in achievement of our national rejuvenation under the leadership of Communist Party of China. I also have full faith in further development of China and Samoa relations. China and Samoa share the same “Aiga” in Pacific. We shall consolidate our friendship with sincerity, advance cooperation with hard work, and bring about a better future for China-Samoa relations!
Ladies and gentlemen,
Now, I would like to invite all of you to join me in raising your glasses to propose a toast,
To the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China,
To the long-lasting China-Samoa friendship,
To the good health of all the distinguished guests,
Manuvea.
Cheers! Thank you!