Welcome to the online reception held by the Chinese Embassy in Somalia to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. I hereby give my sincere greetings to you all.
The past year has been a year of uncertainties for social and economic development of all countries as a result of geopolitical conflicts, climate change, Covid-19 pandemic and terrorism. It’s against this backdrop that China has adopted a balanced approach to pandemic control and economic and social development, effectively tackled the challenges and secured stability and growth in its economy. China will continue to implement the new concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, create new development pattern and promote high-quality development. China’s future will be even brighter with still more miracles to be made.
The year 2022 witnesses China’s greater contribution to global development. At the 76th United Nations General Assembly meeting a year ago, His Excellency Chinese President Xi Jinping, put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), with Chinese wisdom and Chinese plan to help resolve the development problem. In the past year, the GDI has taken root and garnered support from over 100 countries. Somalia is among the over 50 countries that have joined the The Group of Friends of GDI. The foreign ministers of China and Somalia both attended the Group’s meeting in New York this month and held a bilateral meeting as well. This has provided much needed stability and positive energy in a world of volatility. This has also kindled new hopes for people to follow through on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in pursuit of a peaceful and happy life.
The year 2022 is marked by China’s promotion of global solidarity and exchanges. Early this year, China successfully held the 24th Olympic Winter Games. Beijing hosted almost 3000 athletes from 91 countries, who highlighted the Olympic Spirit featuring mutual understanding, lasting friendship, solidarity and fair play. The success of Beijing Olympic Winter Games and Winter Paralympics makes the case all the more clearer that only when we work together with open minds and joined hands, can we usher in a more peaceful, united and progressive future for all.
The year 2022 turns a new page in China’s history of manned space exploration. From May to July, China launched Tianzhou-4 Cargo Spacecraft, Shenzhou-14 Manned Spacecraft, Wentian and Mengtian Laboratory Cabin Modules of space station. China will also launch Tianzhou-5 Cargo Spacecraft and Shenzhou-15 Manned Spacecraft before the end of the year and finish in-orbit construction of China's space station. In early September, a nine-year old Somali girl joined other African teenagers in the space-earth dialogue with Chinese taikonauts Mr. Chen Dong, Ms. Liu Yang and Mr. Cai Xuzhe in the space station and asked her questions, leaving one more beautiful story in the friendly exchanges between China and Africa.
The year 2022 also bears great significance for China’s development. The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party will soon be held in Beijing. Bearing in mind the wish of all Chinese people, the delegates will discuss and set objectives and tasks in the coming 5 years and beyond in a scientific way, and draw up an overall blueprint for China’s future development. Along the path of Chinese modernization, China will achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China will work with all other nations in the world to do its utmost for peaceful development and take responsibility for solidarity and progress. We will join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
China’s strides towards modernization with a fifth of humanity, carries profound significance for the world. China’s modernization path is, peaceful development not plunder or colonialism, win-win cooperation not zero-sum game, and harmonious co-existence with nature not draining the pond for fish. China will continue to share Chinese wisdom in meeting development challenges for mankind and make Chinese contribution to creating new forms of human civilization.
It has been a year since my arrival in Mogadishu. I have been deeply impressed by the profound friendship of the Somali people towards the Chinese people and the enormous development potentials of this brotherly nation.
Although China and Somalia are geographically far apart, the friendship between the two countries has a long history. The two countries abide by the basic norms governing international relations, namely, respect for each others’ independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs, and we have always understood and supported each other. China never forgets that Somalia is a longstanding and good friend. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China was the first country to provide Somalia with the Covid-19 vaccines, and it’s also among the largest bilateral donors of vaccines for Somalia. Since last year, China has provided Somalia 10,000 tents and 50,000 mosquito nets in humanitarian aids, and more than 30 military vehicles, supported the renovation of the operating theatre of Banadir Hospital, carried out skills training for Somalia health-care workers and agricultural technicians, and provided Chinese government scholarships for hundreds of young Somalis to study in China. In support of Somalia’s drought response, emergency food aids in rice and wheat from China are arriving in the port of Mogadishu. Before the end of this year, China will provide more food aid to Somalia.
Dear friends, the Chinese Embassy in Somalia will continue to strengthen communication and coordination with Somalis from all walks of life, UN agencies and other international partners, pool our efforts in line with Somali priorities in exploring and promoting assistance and cooperation programs concerning Somali people’s livelihood, and support Somalia in making new progress on the road to peace and reconstruction and standing tall on its own feet in the Horn of Africa.
I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy National Day to Chinese compatriots in Somalia. Your well-being is always held dear in the heart of the motherland. I hope you will stay safe and sound, and continue to actively work with Somalis to promote peaceful reconstruction of the country and further deepen the friendship and cooperation between China and Somalia. I would also like to say Happy National Day to our loved ones back in China. Thank you for your understanding and support. You can rest assured that we are all very well in the company of our Somali brothers and sisters.
Today’s Somalia still faces many challenges in security, development and drought response. However, Chinese and Somali brothers and sisters do believe that every cloud has a silver lining. As long as we stay united and committed to peace and development, new hopes will be revived, challenges will be turned into opportunities, Somalia will embrace a promising future and there will be more success stories for us to make and tell in the friendly relations and cooperation between our two nations.