Hon Minister Mark Furner, representative of Premier of Queensland, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities
Mr Graham Perrett MP, House of Representatives for Moreton,
Councillor Steven Huang, representative of Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Councillor representing MacGregor Ward,
Mr Michael Ma, President of Queensland Chinese United Council,
Dear guests and friends,
Good evening! Very warm welcome to you all at tonight’s reception.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. In the 1970s, Mr Gough Whitlam embarked on an ice-breaking visit to China and in the next year leading the Labour government to make the right choice and establish diplomatic ties with China, making historic contributions to the development of China-Australia relations. Looking back on the past, we would like to pay tribute to the foresight and sagacity of the older generation of leaders on both sides, and send sincere gratitude to all those who participated in creating the glorious history. Over the past 50 years of China-Australia relations, despite twists and turns, both sides keep to the overriding trend, seek common ground while resolving differences, make remarkable achievements in various fields and deliver huge benefits to both countries and their peoples, writing a win-win story.
Confucius said that, “At fifty, I knew what the decrees of heaven were.”
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week. During the meeting, Wang Yi said, if China-Australia relations, which are facing both challenges and opportunities, can achieve sound development, that will serve the common interests of the two peoples and will also be conducive to maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. China always believes that a sound and steady relationship between China and Australia meets the fundamental interests and common aspiration of the two peoples. We shall take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries as an opportunity to derive wisdom from past experience, work in the same direction in the spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit and seek common ground while putting aside differences, jointly bring the relations back to the right track.
I’m honoured to take the post of Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Brisbane in this very crucial moment. I wish to, along with colleagues and friends from both China and Australia, strive for further improvement in the cooperation between China and Sunshine State.
In recent years, China-Queensland cooperation keeps moving forward, making it the highlight in China-Australia relations. In 2021, China is still Queensland’s largest trading partner and source of international students. China and Queensland enjoy a fairly good conditions for local exchanges. It includes sister state and sister city relationships, continuously develops with more and more diverse forms and rich contents, yielding close cultural exchanges and economic cooperation. Many overseas Chinese and students play a bridging role in promoting China-Queensland friendly relations and pragmatic cooperation. They support and are benefited from our friendship. Chinese Consulate-General encourages Chinese community to actively make contributions to the Queensland social economic development and multiculturalism.
Distinguished guests and dear friends,
This year, facing complex situation for development, China stays committed to containing the pandemic and ensuring economic growth, effectively deals with challenges. As facts have shown, China’s COVID policy suits its national reality, contributing to a better environment for social economic development. In the first quarter this year, China’s economy grows by 4.8%, which fully indicates that the momentum of the sustained recovery in China’s economy remains unchanged, the fundamentals sustaining China’s sound economic growth in the long run remains unchanged.
Nowadays, China is stepping up efforts to foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay, and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. We are committed to achieving higher-quality development in a more open environment, and China will only open its door even wider. China announced the vision of carbon peaking in 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060. To invest in green development is to invest in the future. All above will unleash enormous opportunities and space for international cooperation, which will also benefit Queensland.
Distinguished guests and dear friends,
For humanity, the pursuit of a better life is a shared aspiration, development is a timeless theme. Last year, China has completed the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty, in which no one will be left behind, creating a miracle throughout human history. Nonetheless, China has embarked on a new journey to realize its long-cherished dream of modernization. This modernization is the one that brings common prosperity for all, that takes a path of peaceful development.
As President Xi Jinping said, China’s modernization must cover a massive population. To let all 1.4 billion people enter modern society, it means that the Chinese people, whose population is larger than that of all developed countries combined, will join the ranks of modernization. This will completely change the world map of modernization and have far-reaching impact on human history. In a global view, both China’s poverty alleviation and modernization are inspiring stories of advancing the human rights cause. They are not only the success of China, but also the success of human development. Surely it will make the world a better place. They stand as a vivid example of CPC’s people-centered approach as the governing philosophy, which enjoys the wholehearted endorsement and support of the Chinese people.
In the world today, profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating, the coronavirus is still raging, historic transformations are unfolding in unprecedented ways. China is actively practicing the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, puts forward the Global Security Initiative and Global Development Initiative, works with all parties to build a world of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results.
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be held in the latter half of this year and draw blueprint for China’s future. The Communist Party of China will lead Chinese people to achieve greater success and make even greater contributions to the world peaceful development.
Distinguished guests and dear friends,
The best way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of China-Australia diplomatic relations is to join hands and work together, promote China-Australia, China-Queensland relations, and create a new chapter of reciprocal collaboration and benefiting both peoples.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.