Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Good evening!

On behalf of Ambassador Li Chenggang to WTO, and Ambassador Shen Jian to the Conference on Disarmament, and in my own name, I wish to welcome you all to this reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Although 75 years is but a brief moment in human history, it is a 75 years of tremendous changes for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, and of profound transformation for the world.

—In the past 75 years, especially after China’s reform and opening up, tremendous changes have taken place in China. We have created the twin miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. More than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty, with an average of more than 10 million people lifted out of poverty each year in the past decade. Per capita disposable income has grown from RMB 59.7 yuan at the founding of the People's Republic of China to RMB 39,210 yuan, which is 76 times higher than 75 years ago after deducting price factors. In the first half of this year, China's GDP was about 61.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.0 percent, and its contribution to world economic growth has remained at around 30 percent for a long time. China has been the world's second largest economy and second largest consumer market for many years, and has become a major trading partner of more than 140 countries and regions. The rate of return on foreign direct investment in China exceeds 9 percent, far higher than the global average. These achievements cannot be attained without the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, a development path that suits China's national conditions, the ingenuity and hard work of the Chinese people, the policy of reform and opening-up, and our friendly cooperation with other countries and international organizations around the world. In this July, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held successfully, making systematic arrangements for further deepening reform and promoting Chinese modernization. The plenary session made more than 300 important reform measures, sending a strong signal that China's reform will not stop, and that it will continue to open up wider. With high-quality development and high-level opening-up, China will provide fresh opportunities and stronger momentum for the world..

—In the past 75 years, tremendous changes have taken place in China’s relationship with the world. China follows an independent foreign policy of peace, and has established diplomatic relations with 183 countries. It is a member of almost all universal inter-governmental organizations, and a party to over 600 international conventions and amendments. In 1971, UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, deciding the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN, thus solved the issue of the representation of China at the UN once and for all, and the one-China principle has been broadly recognized by the international community. China has engaged in multilateral affairs in all aspects, committed to maintaining world peace, promoting common development and win-win cooperation, and have made unremitting efforts to peaceful resolution of disputes and the early achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. China is now a major financial contributor and an important troop contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. It actively participates in discussions on important issues such as climate change and artificial intelligence, and made commitments to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. It has issued the “Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative”, and proposed and worked for the adoption by consensus of a resolution on strengthening international cooperation in artificial intelligence at the General Assembly. At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation earlier this month, China announced that it would unilaterally expand market opening, give all the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 African countries, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, and provide 360 billion yuan of financial support through the next three years, demonstrating firm commitment for China and Africa to seek common development. Over the past 10 years since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the Initiative has attracted nearly one trillion US dollars in investment, formed more than 3,000 cooperation projects, created 420,000 jobs, and lifted nearly 40 million people out of poverty. China will reinforce its efforts to ensure more countries and people of the Global South would benefit from its development achievements.

—In the past 75 years, Geneva, as an important multilateral platform, has witnessed the journey of China’s multilateral diplomacy to come closer to the world’s center stage. In 1954, Premier Zhou Enlai led a delegation to attend the Geneva Conference, marking China’s first appearance in the multilateral arena. In 2017, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech in the Palais des Nations, elaborating on the important idea of a community with a shared future for mankind. In June this year, President Xi Jinping attended the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development via video and delivered an important speech, pointing out the direction for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting global development cooperation. For many decades, we have become deeply engaged in multilateral endeavors in areas of trade, human rights, disarmament, intellectual property, health, telecommunications, meteorology and labor, etc. We played our role in the revision of International Health Regulations and we are now actively participating in the intergovernmental negotiations of the Pandemic Treaty and advancing processes related to genetic resources and design at WIPO. In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization, and has since been committed to maintaining the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. This year, China actively promoted the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference to achieve practical results. China moves up one spot to 11th place in WIPO's Global Innovation Index 2024, and has 26 clusters in the top 100 S&T clusters, ranking first in the world. We solemnly proposed “mutual no-first-use of nuclear weapons” and “providing negative security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States”, which showcases our firm commitment to global peace and security. At this session of the Human Rights Council, we proposed resolutions to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and a resolution on accessibility for all. We count on your support in all these efforts..

—In the past 75 years, tremendous changes have taken place in the world, which is now going through profound, unprecedented transformations. At present, the global economic recovery remains sluggish, regional security situation is severe, ideological confrontation is intensifying, and the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution marked by the emergence of artificial intelligence is improving productivity and widening the digital divide among countries. The trend of the times calls on us to recommit ourselves to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and jointly respond to the many difficulties and challenges facing world peace and security and global development. China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and, while noting the current governance deficit in the world, put forward three major global initiatives on development, security, and civilization. We believe that development remains an eternal theme for humanity, and advocate that all countries give priority to development and jointly create a prosperous and beautiful future. We believe that security is the premise of development, and that all countries shall adopt a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We believe that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations are an important driving force for promoting world peace and development, and advocate respecting the diversity of civilizations and the diversity of choices for modernization. No matter how the international situation may evolve, China will continue to advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, continue to contribute Chinese wisdom and proposals to the well-being of all mankind, build a community with a shared future for mankind with practical actions, and build a better world with global partners.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

“The road ahead is long and arduous, but we will reach our destination if we keep going.” The UNGA has just adopted the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the a Declaration on Future Generations, which reflects the common aspirations of the international community. In the face of common difficulties and challenges, we can only overcome the difficulties by working together and making progress in unity. We are ready to make joint efforts with partners from all over the world.

Now I wish to propose a toast:

To the 75th Anniversary,

To the peace and prosperity of our world,

And to the health and happiness of you all,

Cheers!