Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to host the reception this evening in celebration of the 54th anniversary of the founding of the People?s Republic of China. First of all, I would like to express my warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the distinguished guests for your gracious presence.

I wish to take this opportunity to extend my cordial holiday greetings and best wishes to all the Chinese compatriots living, working and studying in Canada. And I also want to express my sincere thanks to our Canadian friends of various circles for their long-time support for the friendly relations of cooperation between China and Canada.  

The founding of the People?s Republic of China started the new historic journey for the Chinese nation. Over the past 54 years, the Chinese people, through their arduous efforts and energetic work, have scored brilliant achievements one after another in building their motherland and reinvigorating the Chinese nation. In particular, since the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy, China has succeeded in obtaining a sustained and rapid economic growth, marked increase of overall national strength, steady improvement of people?s lives and constant rise of its international status and influence.

Since the beginning of this year, under the new collective leadership headed by President Hu Jintao, China has successfully overcome the SARS epidemic and severe floods and continued to maintain social stability and relatively rapid economic growth, at the same time, carried out reforms at various fronts in an orderly way. China?s GDP for 2002 reached record-breaking 1.2 trillion US dollars. And on the basis of that, in the first half of this year, China?s GDP increased by 8.2%, compared with the same period last year. And China?s foreign trade has maintained good momentum, with import and export volume for the first half of this year up 39% over the first half of 2002. The Chinese Government has full confidence and ability in leading the Chinese people in their efforts to realize the grand objective of building a well-off society in a comprehensive way.  

China has all along pursued the independent foreign policy of peace, and actively engaged in the cause of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. The development and prosperity of China will make it able to contribute more to the lofty cause of peace and development of the mankind. China is ready to develop friendly relations of cooperation with all countries in the world on the basis of five principles of peaceful coexistence. In the months ahead, China will continue to play a constructive role in the peaceful solution of North Korean nuclear issue and join the international community in reaching a settlement of the Iraqi issue.

We are delighted to see that new progress has been made in the bilateral exchange and cooperation between China and Canada in extensive areas.  China-Canada relationship has maintained a good momentum of development and is endowed with significant opportunities ahead.  The Chinese Government has attached great importance to and warmly welcomes the visit to China by Prime Minister Jean Chrètien in the near future. I believe that through our joint efforts, the comprehensive partnership of cooperation between our two countries will be strengthened and raised to a new level.

In conclusion, I would like to invite you to join me in a toast

To the growing prosperity of China,

To the constant development of China-Canada friendly relations, and

To the health of everyone present this evening.

Cheers!