RIYADH: Here follows the full text of the speech by the Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Mr. Yang Honglin on the Occasion of the Chinese National Day:
This year’s October 1st marks the 59th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China together with the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr. Hereby, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy and in my own name, to our Saudi friends, overseas Chinese, students and staffs of Chinese enterprises based in Saudi Arabia.
This year is of special significance to China. Thirty years ago, under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese people resolutely embarked on the historic journey of reform and opening up. Over the past 30 years, China has made great progress in terms of growing its economy, enhancing its overall national strength and improving the living standard of its people. Historical changes have taken place in China. China is now an integral part of the global economy. In 1978, China’s GDP accounted for only 1 percent of the world economy, whereas its share rose above 5 percent in 2007. In 1978, China’s share of global trade was less than 1 percent, whereas in 2007, its share jumped to about 8 percent. China’s development has opened a huge market for international capital, attracting over $780 billion of net foreign investment since 1978. With its imports growing at an average annual rate of 16.7 percent since 1978, China has become the world’s third largest import market and the largest import market in Asia. China’s average annual import volume has reached nearly $560 billion since 2001, generating some 10 million jobs for our trade partners. China is now a key participant in the international system. It is a member of more than 100 inter-governmental international organizations and a party to over 300 international conventions. China is actively involved in international responsibilities. Over the past years, China has participated in 22 UN peacekeeping operations, making China the largest troop-contributing country among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. This year, China has successfully held the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympics Games. Facts have proved that China’s development road is correct and the outcomes are obvious to all. China will firmly keep to the path of peaceful development, unswervingly follow a win-win strategy and be dedicated to building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.
In recent years, under King Abdullah’s wise leadership, Saudi Arabia has also witnessed an accelerated pace of national building, improved living standard of its people and entrance into a new round of economic booming. As an influential country in the Middle East and Gulf Region and the largest energy supplier in the world, Saudi Arabia has played an important role in maintaining the peace and stability of the region, pushing forward the regional economic development, enhancing Arab countries’ solidarity, promoting dialogue among different religions and civilizations and safeguarding the stability of international energy supply. The Chinese side highly appreciates the above mentioned role of its Saudi counterpart.
Over the past 18 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia, Sino-Saudi relations have experienced rapid development. Particularly, it has been promoted to a new height in various fields of the bilateral relations by the exchange visits between the two heads of state in 2006 and the Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping’s successful visit to Saudi Arabia last June. We have seen now the deepening political trust, intensified high-level exchanges, upgrading economical and energy cooperation and positive progress in the areas of culture, education and religion between the two countries. Saudi Arabia has ranked as the largest trading partner of China in the region of West Asia and Africa for 7 consecutive years. China and Saudi Arabia have become good partners and sincere friends with mutual trust and substantial cooperation.
It is of special significance to mention two things happened this year, which has brought the two peoples much closer. One is that King Abdullah donated large amounts of cash and materials in kind to those victims caused by the devastating Sichuan earthquake. This act has fully represented the deep caring and generous friendship from the Saudi people and moved the Chinese nation as a whole. Saudi Arabia is indeed the friend in need of China. The other is that Saudi Arabia actively participated in the Beijing Olympic and Paralympics, which has served as an integral part of the whole splendor of the two games. The Olympics provide the opportunities for the two great countries to learn more about each other.
It is the consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders of further enlarging and deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields between China and Saudi Arabia and bringing substantial benefits for the two peoples. We wish to make concerted efforts with our Saudi counterparts, consistently push forward the exchanges of visits on various levels, further tap the potential of mutual economic complementarities, proactively enhance the cooperation in the areas of culture, education and sports and promote the bilateral relations to a new phase.
