Good evening!

It is a great pleasure to have you all at the Deck Reception jointly held by the Chinese Embassy and the Ark Peace, the Navy hospital ship of the People’s Liberation Army of China. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy, I would like to extend my warm welcome to Ark Peace’s second visit to Fiji, the beautiful transportation hub of South Pacific region. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to Honorable Prime Minister for gracing this occasion despite of his heavy schedule. My thanks also go to Fijian Military Force, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Suva Ports and Fijian Police Force for their kind support to the visit of Ark Peace and close cooperation with the Chinese side.

This is a mission of friendship. In the past five days, the medical teams of Ark Peace provided free medical services to the local people, visited local health centers, and made exchanges with personnel from Fijian Military Forces and CWM Hospital. Ark Peace also opened to Senior Fijian officials and students for tour, as well as holding various cultural and sports activities with the local community, which all received warm welcome. These activities have further deepened mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and indicated the bright future of China-Fiji relations.

This is a mission of peace. As the first large-scale professional hospital ship of China and even in the world, Ark Peace holds an important mission of maintaining peace and saving lives. Four years after the year of 2014, Ark Peace visits Fiji again. It is the Chinese military's concrete practice of promoting international humanitarian spirit, disseminating the concept of "peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcome", and building a community with the shared future for mankind together with other countries.

Ladies, gentlemen and friends,

The Chinese government has always attached great importance to China-Fiji relationship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, relations between our two countries have developed smoothly and steadily. Under the care and guidance of President Xi Jinping and Hon. PM Bainimarama, the political mutual trust has been continuously enhanced, economic, trade and cultural cooperation have been deepened, and cooperation between the two military forces have produced fruitful results. China is going to deliver a hydrographic surveillance vessel and a batch of military vehicles to the Fijian military Forces for future humanitarian operations this year. In the second half of this year, leaders and senior officials of our two countries will also have several important meetings. China will continue to synergize our development strategies with Fiji, through the “one belt and one road” initiative, support Fiji's efforts to combat climate change and develop blue economy, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, with the view to pushing the strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development to a new level.

To close, I wish the visit of Ark Peace to Fiji a complete success, and wish everybody a very beautiful and memorable night on the Ark Peace.

Thank you, Vinaka, 谢谢。