Distinguished Deputy Chair Saldan Odontuya,

Distinguished guests and envoys,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

    Welcome to the reception today. This is the first in-person National Day reception held by the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia in the post-COVID era. As the new Ambassador of China to Mongolia, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the friends who have been giving care and support to the friendship between China and Mongolia.

    This year marks the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the 45th anniversary of reform and opening up, the 10th anniversary of the concept of a global community of a shared future and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the neighborhood policy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness.

    Today’s China has made magnificent development achievements. First, the comprehensive national strength has been enhancing. In 2022, the GDP of China reached USD 18 trillion, the second largest of the world.

    Second, people’s well-being has been improving. China have, once and for all, resolved the problem of absolute poverty, creating a miracle of poverty alleviation in the world. People’s sense of fulfillment, security, and happiness has been strengthened.

    Third, green development has seen positive results. With a public consensus and action that “green mountain and clear water are invaluable assets”, green, circular, and low-carbon development has seen steady improvement. China is making significant progress in ecological protection.

    Fourth, China’s international influence has been significantly enhanced. Yesterday, China issued the white paper, A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions, which elaborates on the meaning and practices of the concept. China always puts its own advancement together with the common development of all countries and links its future closely with that of the humanity to provide new opportunities for the world with its growth. China has become the major trading partner of over 140 countries and regions, the world’s largest trader in goods and a top foreign capital destination and outbound investor. All these put over 1.4 billion Chinese people, more than the total population of developed countries, on the course toward modernization. A Chinese path to modernization expands the channels to modernization for developing countries.

    The Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) proposed by President Xi Jinping have become three pillars for the global community of a shared future. They are the Chinese solutions to promoting peace, development, and cooperation. As to the BRI, it is an important platform for implementing the concept. China will hold the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation next month in Beijing for joint consultation of cooperation and the strategy of development.

    Friends,

    China and Mongolia are both developing countries that share Asian values. We both have the strong aspiration to bring better lives to the people and are exploring the path to modernization that fits the national realities and features.

    China highly values the bilateral relations and is practicing the neighborhood policy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendship and partnership with neighboring countries here in Mongolia. Mongolia also takes developing relations with China as the priority of its foreign policy. The two countries have forged a community with a shared future that has a common stake.

    The sound development of China-Mongolia relations results from the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries. Since last year, President Khurelsukh and Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene have successively visited China and reached a series of consensus with the Chinese leaders.

    I had the honor to be in part of the events and had the first-hand experience of the strategic mutual trust and the profound friendship of the leaders of the two countries. China is ready to work with Mongolia to implement the consensus reached by the leaders to deepen the friendship, mutual trust, and cooperation between the two countries.

    The sound development of China-Mongolia relations results from the high degree of mutual complementarity of the two economies. In the first half of this year, trade between China and Mongolia increased by over 60% year on year. We are making new progress in new areas such as finance, digital economy, and green development. The two sides recently set up the China-Mongolia Desertification Prevention and Control Cooperation Center in Ulaanbaatar, which will help Mongolia’s “One Billion Trees” initiative and respond to the challenge of desertification. The Wastewater Treatment Plant project in Ulaanbaatar and the construction of household apartments are making progress as part of China’s grant and concessional loans projects in Mongolia. They will surely be beneficial to Mongolian economic development and people’s well-being upon completion.

    The sound development of China-Mongolia relations results from the people-to-people connectivity of the two countries. The people of China and Mongolia offered each other assistance during the pandemic. The donations of sheep and tea wrote new chapters of China-Mongolia friendship. As COVID policies relaxed, more and more Chinese people are responding to the “Years to Visit Mongolia” program and started a trend of visiting Mongolia. The waiting area for international departure of the Ereenhot railway port has been busy with thousands of passengers every day. Visas issued by my embassy have out-numbered those before the pandemic, clear evidence of the profound friendship and strong willingness for exchanges.

    It is a great honor to serve as the Ambassador to the beautiful Mongolia at this very moment, but it is also a heavy responsibility. My colleagues of the embassy and I are ready to be close friends with people of all sectors in Mongolia to work together to build a better future for the China-Mongolia relations.

    I would also like to mention that it is pleased to see Mongolia sending over 400 athletes to my hometown Zhejiang Province for the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Zhejiang is the demonstration zone for common prosperity and a pioneer in Chinese modernization. Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene paid a visit to Zhejiang during his trip to China. We welcome more Mongolian friends to experience the picturesque Jiangnan region and the dynamic Zhejiang.

    Finally, let me propose a toast.

    To the prosperity of China and Mongolia.

    To the ever-lasting China-Mongolia relations.

    To the great success that will surely belong to the athletes of the two countries!

    Thank you and cheers!