Ambassador's message on the 73rd Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China
2022-10-01 13:28


On October 1st, Ambassador Qian Bo delivered a message in the China's National Day supplements of Fiji Sun and Fiji Times on celebrating the 73rd Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China. The full text is as follows:

Dear friends, as we are looking forward to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and Fiji has its economic recovery right underway, I invite you to join me in celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China along with the 52nd anniversary of Fiji's independence and sharing the happiness and pride on these joyful occasions.

In the past year, thanks to the leadership of the Fijian Government and the resilience of the Fijian people, Fiji has overcome different kinds of major challenges especially the COVID-19 pandemic and brought the nation back to normalcy. In this regard, I wish to congratulate Fiji on its remarkable achievements.

At the same time, the vast land of China is brimming with vigor and vitality while the Chinese people are united in a common effort and ushering in bright prospects for China’s national rejuvenation. During the year, China has continued to promote economic and social development against the pandemic. The fundamentals of China’s economy remained sound with strong resilience, enormous potential and long-term sustainability. From 2013 to 2021, China's GDP expanded at an average annual growth rate of 6.6%, higher than the growth pace of 2.6% for the global economy and 3.7% for developing economies. China's average contribution to global economic growth exceeded 30%, ranking first across the world.

We have made the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics one of the most magnificent sport events in human history, bringing hope and confidence to the world under the pandemic. Chinese taikonauts successfully completed their first six-month mission in orbit and are continuing their following missions to construct the first China Space Station. The sales of China's new-energy vehicle have accounted for 60% of the global sales. The number of new energy vehicles ownership in China has exceeded 10 million, which makes significant contribution to tackling climate change and building a low-carbon world.

Dear friends,

Last year also ushered in many historic moments in China-Fiji relations.

In late May 2022, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid an official visit to Fiji and co-hosted the 2nd China-Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Hon. Prime Minister Josaia V. Bainimarama. This is the first high-level visit of China to the South Pacific region after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The visit is another testimony of China-Fiji all weather friendship, which has withstood the test of the volatile international landscape. The two countries always trust and support each other in the need of each other at any time. During the visit, China agreed to donate a batch of fertilizers to Fiji against the soaring prices of fertilizers. The consignment was shipped out in the shortest time and is already in Lautoka. China reiterated its firm support to Fiji in combating climate change, fighting the pandemic, restoring economic recovery and realizing national development.

The visit is also highlighted by the issuance of China’s Position Paper on Mutual Respect and Common Development with PICs. It puts forward 15 principles and initiatives and 24 specific measures, including building six regional cooperation centers for dealing with climate change, poverty alleviation and development, disaster prevention and mitigation, agricultural promotion, Juncao technology and reserve of emergency supplies according to the development needs of PICs. With the implementation of these measures, we may expect that more tangible benefits will be delivered to the people in the region.

Dear friends,

Our world today is undergoing uncertainty and transformation. We are under the threat of unilateralism and protectionism. The international community needs solidarity and cooperation more than ever. As a responsible major country, China has all along stood on the right side of history, and on the side of human progress, the side of international equity and justice, and the side of the vast developing countries.

Last September, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI) to galvanize international commitment to development and accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda. So far, more than 100 countries and international organizations have supported the initiative and more than 60 countries, including Fiji, have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. A week ago, China chaired the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI in New York, which further consolidated the international consensus on development cooperation and identified more pathways. We believe that with the support of all parties, the initiative will play a substantial role in facilitating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

President Xi also proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which aims at fostering a new type of security that replaces confrontation, alliance and a zero-sum approach with dialogue, partnership and win-win results. China will continue to stand for true multilateralism, uphold the international system with the UN at its core and defend the international order underpinned by international law. The GSI carries forward the spirit of the UN Charter, offers a fundamental solution to eliminating “the peace deficit” and contributes Chinese perspectives to meeting international security challenges.

China takes very seriously the single greatest threat facing PICs, and believes that climate change is a common challenge that requires effort of everyone in the world. China has announced its goals for reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, and is determined to achieve the largest reduction in global carbon intensity in the shortest time in world history. We hope to help PICs better address climate change through bilateral channels and South-South cooperation, including by making full use of the China-PICs Climate Change Cooperation Center.

Dear friends,

China commends and appreciates Fiji’s longstanding commitment to the one-China principle, which is a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations. Since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Taiwan question is an internal affair that involves China's core interests and the Chinese people's national sentiments, and no external interference will be tolerated. No one should underestimate our resolve, will and ability to defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The context, cause and course of events that led to the current tensions in the Taiwan Strait are crystal clear. China was compelled to take legitimate countermeasures, which are justified, lawful, necessary and proportionate. By firmly upholding the one-China principle, China is not only upholding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also truly safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and non-interference in others’ internal affairs, a basic norm of international relations that is of vital importance to the large number of developing countries. 

This month, the Communist Party of China will convene its 20th National Congress. It is an important meeting to be held at a critical time as China embarks on a new journey toward its second centenary goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects. We will continue to follow the Chinese path to modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. By doing so, we will create new opportunities for the world with new advances in China's development and contribute our vision and strength to world peace and development and human progress.

As we celebrate the great and glorious accomplishment that both our countries have achieved, I wish to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude and best wishes to those who have cared about and supported the development of China and the China-Fiji relations. I firmly believe that as long as developing countries like China and Fiji join hands to realize common development and prosperity, the world definitely will be fairer, more harmonious and more stable.