China marching ahead with full confidence

On the occasion of the 64th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, I extend warm congratulations and sincere wishes to the Chinese community living and working in Saudi Arabia, on my behalf and on behalf of the staff of the Chinese Embassy to the Kingdom.
I would also like to place on record my high appreciation to the leadership of the Kingdom and its friendly people for their interest and contribution to the development of Sino-Saudi relations.
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government and its people have achieved a long way in building the country.
Today, China has entered into a new era blessed with progress, stability and prosperity, where it is leading as the fastest growing economy in the world.
The economic growth rate is ranging from more than 10 percent in the past to 9.3 percent in 2011, 7.7 percent in 2012 and to around 7.5 percent this year.
China is also the largest exporter in the world, the second largest importer, and has the highest foreign exchange reserves (forex) along with what we are witnessing of significant developments in the fields of health, education, science, agriculture, industry and tourism.
China’s development continues steadily and the government of China is confident in gaining essential progress in transforming its economic growth pattern.
It aims to double the GDP value and per capita income of urban and rural residents once compared to 2010 by the year 2020 on the basis of significant improvements in balance, coordination and sustainability for economic development.
The country is marching ahead with full confidence, building a moderately prosperous society in a comprehensive way as we celebrate the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party and the
completion of construction of modern socialist country rich, strong democratic, civilized and harmonious when we celebrate the centenary of the founding of New China whatever difficulties and challenges on its way.
No doubt that the Chinese economy awaits wider horizons and would give a new impetus to the global economy, relying on adherence to peaceful development and cooperation on the basis of broad international deal of respect and mutual benefit.
We are proud of the level of the strong relationship between China and the Kingdom. It is a strategic and comprehensive relationship that brings multiple blessings for their people day after day.
Saudi Arabia is the largest trading partner of China in West Asia and Africa, and the largest oil exporter to China. The volume of trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and China has soared $73.4 billion.
China imported more than 50 million tons of crude oil from the Kingdom in 2012; 27 million tons of oil imported in the first half of the current year and the volume of trade between the two countries has reached $36.2 billion.
And at the level of practical cooperation, there are more than 140 Chinese companies operating across the Kingdom in the fields of construction, telecommunications, infrastructure, petrochemicals and others, as well as increasing mutual investment between the two countries, which clearly contributes in the economic boom in recent times in the two countries.
In addition to that there are tremendous opportunities, we can work on investment for cooperation between the two countries, especially in the areas of technology transfer in high level contacts and new renewable energy, medical technology and others.
As friends, China and the Kingdom always do exchange visits, and in recent years have been hallmarks of their increasing friendship through the Kingdom’s participation in the Olympic Games in Beijing, and the generous assistance by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to the region affected by earthquakes in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, China in 2008, and the Shanghai Expo in 2010.
In the current year, China was chosen as a guest of honor at the Janadriyah Festival for Heritage and Culture.
In return, China has chosen the Kingdom for being guest of honor for the Beijing International Book Fair at its 20th session.
The Kingdom thus is the first Arab and Muslim country to have such an honor, which reflects the robustness of the relationship between the two countries over the past two decades — one of the aspects of support and closer cultural ties between the two countries.
Here, I have to refer in full confidence more wider and stronger future relations between China and Saudi Arabia and their cooperation in all fields, especially that there is a strong desire of the leaders of Beijing and Riyadh to strengthen the strategic partnership and the development of relations, and increase bilateral cooperation of all that achieves security and development in the regions and the world.

— Li Chengwen, Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.