Deputy Secretary Deborah Geels,
Right Honourable Sir David Carter,
Members of Parliament,
Dean and Fellow Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Members of the Chinese Community in New Zealand,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
Kia ora! 大家晚上好！
We are gathered here today to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. To begin with, please allow me to express my warm welcome to all the guests joining us today.
In human history, 74 years are but a fleeting moment. However, for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, these have been a period of epoch-making changes no less than legendary. Over the years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have striven in unity to build self-reliance, and explored and established a Chinese Path to Modernization, realizing both sustained rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.
The past ten years, in particular, have witnessed historic achievements and transformations in China’s development. A new record has been set in the national economic strength, with the GDP surpassing 120 trillion RMB in 2022. China is now the world’s second-largest economy and consumer market and leads the world in manufacturing and foreign exchange reserves.
We have brought about all-around improvement in people’s lives. Absolute poverty has been eradicated in the country, a historic achievement, and life expectancy has reached 78.2 years. Over 1.05 billion people are now under the coverage of basic old-age insurance, and more than 1.06 billion people have access to the Internet.
We have been firmly committed to reform and opening-up. On top of supporting the WTO-centered rules-based Multilateral Trading System, we have made continuous progress in building a globally oriented network of high-standard free trade arrangements. China has become the major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, leading the world in total volume of trade in goods. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has entered into force, of which both China and New Zealand are members. In addition, we are pursuing membership of other high-standard trade arrangements and filed our application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA).
We have been promoting international friendship and cooperation. China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, firmly stands by true multilateralism, and holds high the banner of peace, development, and win-win cooperation. To that end, we have actively advocated building a community of shared future for mankind, promoted the Belt and Road Initiative, and put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
At present, China is endeavouring to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through the Chinese Path to Modernization. To this end, we prioritize high-quality growth, pursue common prosperity for the entire Chinese people, and aim to make greater contributions to world peace and development. And we seek to do this by pursuing innovative, coordinated, green, open, and inclusive development, by promoting high-standard opening up, and by seeking deeper integration with the rest of the world. Just as President Xi Jinping puts it, only an open China can become a modernized China. China is willing to share the benefits and opportunities of its development with other countries and contribute to addressing global challenges on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation.
I have noted that, for quite a while, China’s economic situation has gained global attention, including here in New Zealand. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly share with you some of my observations.
First, as the World Bank has projected that the world’s economy will expand by just 2.1% in 2023, it is natural that the Chinese economy has also encountered some headwinds. However, defying a global slowdown, China’s economy continued to recover with a growth of 5.5% year on year in the first half of 2023. In fact, China is one of the very few major economies in the world with both a reasonably robust economic performance and low inflation, and leading international institutions, including the World Bank and IMF, expect China’s economy to remain a key engine of global growth by growing 5% or more in 2023.
Second, post-COVID recovery for any country does not follow a linear trajectory. Inevitably, there will be twists and turns as well as ups and downs. When analyzing China’s economy, it is unwise to only focus on a handful of softening economic indicators but ignore more evidence showcasing China’s achievements in optimizing the driving forces of its growth in pursuit of high-quality development. It is important to note that the Chinese government has an ample policy toolkit, which gives us confidence to overcome temporary difficulties and forestall systemic risks.
Third, the strength, resilience and potential of China’s economy remain unchanged, as the fundamentals sustaining its long-term sound development remain unchanged. We currently have a 400 million strong middle-income community, which is expected to double to 800 million by 2035, bringing about a supersized market open for the whole world. We have a full-fledged manufacturing sector featuring whole production chains. Continued urbanization and industrialization for decades to come will remain powerful engines for further growth. More importantly, the innovation-driven development approach has accelerated industrial transformation so that China leads the world in an increasing number of areas like EVs, 5G telecommunications, new energy, and new materials.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Last year, China and New Zealand jointly celebrated the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic ties, making this year the opening year of the second 50 years for our relationship. With joint efforts across generations and the participation and support of major political parties and friends from all walks of life in New Zealand, our bilateral relations have made remarkable progress, delivering tangible benefits to our two peoples and at the same time contributing to regional and global peace, stability, development and prosperity.
In June this year, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins led a large delegation to China. President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders met or held talks with him, when they reached extensive consensus on the further development of our bilateral relations. The two sides also issued a Joint Statement on our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, undoubtedly a milestone in the history of our bilateral relations.
For all these years, China and New Zealand have enhanced our practical cooperation in a wide range of areas, including trade, science and technology, agriculture, education, local governments exchanges, food safety, and intellectual property rights. The practical cooperation, based on equality and mutual benefit, serves as a pillar and engine for our overall relationship. In turn, the sound growth of the overall relationship provides the best guarantee for continued expansion of our practical cooperation.
Not to mention our strong people-to-people links, which have deep roots and keep evolving. It is gratifying to see the accelerating resumption of in-person exchanges in all areas between our two countries. By all means, better mutual understanding leads to greater amity between the two peoples, which lies at the very heart of our relationship.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and New Zealand will mark its 10th anniversary next year, yet another milestone in our relationship.
The past nearly 10 years have seen sound, and steady growth of China-New Zealand relations, which have long been a pacesetter in China’s relations with developed countries and a fine example of win-win cooperation between countries that differ in social system, history, culture, and stage of development. In spite of the profound changes in the international landscape, as well as the changes domestically in our respective countries, China looks forward to working together with New Zealand to implement the latest consensus reached by our leaders and grow our partnership progressively on the basis of mutual respect, equality, seeking common grounds while shelving differences, and mutual benefit. We need to increase high-level exchanges, deepen mutual trust, and promote practical cooperation in all areas including but not limited to trade and economic ties. We need to strengthen our people-to-people links, facilitate communications on international and regional affairs, manage and transcend our differences constructively, and take our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to new heights, bringing more benefits to our two countries and peoples and making greater contribution to global peace and development.
In concluding, I would like to propose a toast.
To His Majesty The King Charles III, King of New Zealand!
To the happiness and health of the people of China and New Zealand!
To the friendly cooperation between our two countries!
Cheers!
Thank you!