The Honourable Peter Turnquest, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Finance,
The Honourable Brent Symonette, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
Good evening!
Tonight, we are gathered here to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, I would like to extend my warm welcome to all of you.
This year marks the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the 69 years, under the strong leadership of Communist Party of China, profound changes have taken place, China have achieved a great transformation - it has stood up, grown rich and is becoming strong. Remarkable achievements have been made in the fields of politics, economy, society, science and technology and culture. The overall strength of China has grown steadily, the living standards of its people have been improved significantly and the international status has risen considerably. Today, China has become the second largest economy, the biggest trader of goods and the largest stockpile of foreign exchanges. China is standing at a new starting of the times and is taking major steps on the road of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year is the beginning year of the comprehensive implementation of the spirit of the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress and the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, the Chinese government adheres to the guideline of making progress while maintaining stability, and firmly put the new development philosophy into practice. In the first half of 2018, China's GDP grew by 6.8%, staying within the range between 6.7 percent and 6.9 percent for 12 quarters consecutively. Final consumption expenditure contributed 78.5% to GDP, service industry accounted for 60.5% of the economic growth. The urban-rural income gap has been further narrowed, the per capita disposable income increased by 6.6% and 7.52 million urban jobs were added. On the whole, the economic structure of China continues to be optimized, the restructuring and upgrading measures have achieved notable results, and the China's economy sustained the momentum of steady and sound development.
On November 5th, 2018, China will host its first International Import Expo in Shanghai, which will be the first national-level exhibition themed on import in the world. We are very glad to see that the Bahamian government and enterprises are actively participating in the Expo. This will not only facilitate our economic and trade cooperation, but also provide an good opportunity for The Bahamas to showcase its national image and competitive advantages on this international platform. China's initiative to host the International Import Expo fully shows that China pursues development with an open door and allow every other country to gain access to the Chinese market.
Economic globalization is a universal consensus of the international community and an irresistible historical trend. At present, free trade and the multilateral trading mechanism are facing unprecedented challenges. China always holds the viewpoint that trade disputes should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. It has been proved by history that trade wars will not only result in both losses, but also have severe negative effects on the world economy. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, adhere to the win-win and opening up strategy, firmly uphold the multilateral trading mechanism, and continue to make contributions to economic globalization and world economic development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Bahamas is an important country in the Caribbean region and an important partner of China. Over the past 21 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the political mutual trust has been strengthened, economic and trade cooperation has been expanded, and people-to-people exchanges has been deepened. China appreciates that The Bahamas has always adhered to the One-China Principle. China and The Bahamas supports each other and cooperates closely in international and regional affairs to promote steady development of bilateral relations. In January this year, His Excellency Sterling Quant, Ambassador of The Bahamas to China, attended the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held in Chile on behalf of the Bahamian government. In that meeting, China, Latin American and Caribbean countries reached a board consensus on building of the Belt and Road Initiative jointly. In July, the Honourable Desmond Bannister, Minister of Public Works, attended the 2018 Ministerial Seminar on Urban Planning and Construction of Developing Countries in Shanghai and the Delegation of the Ministry of Public Works took part in the 4th China-LAC Infrastructure Forum in Macao. Both sides indicated that the cooperation in infrastructure construction and other areas will be further deepened. In November, the Honourable Darren Henfield, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Dionisio D'Aguilar, Minister of Tourism, will lead a delegation to attend the first China International Import Expo, which will surely push the cooperation between China and The Bahamas to a new high. In this year, the fully opening of the Baha Mar Resort has promoted the development of tourism industry and encouraged employment in The Bahamas. The Abaco Port project has been completed and handed over to The Bahamas government. The Pointe project has been carried out smoothly. The direct flight agreement between China and The Bahamas will be officially signed soon and the export of Lobster from The Bahamas to China has reached the final phase. This year, the Chinese government has provided 11 scholarships and a number of short-term bilateral training programs for outstanding Bahamian young people. I hope they will devote themselves to building a better Bahamas and enhance the China-Bahamas relations after their graduation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As a Chinese old saying goes, "Sincerity makes lifetime friends." China will always be a sincere friend of The Bahamas. We are ready to work together with the government and the people of The Bahamas to further strengthen all-around bilateral cooperation, deepen mutual understanding and further enhance the welfare of our two peoples. Let's work side by side, hand in hand, to create a brighter future for the bilateral relations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Now, may I propose a toast,
To the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China,
To the continuous development of China-Bahamas relations,
To the everlasting friendship between our two peoples,
To the health of all guests present tonight,
Cheers!