On September 24, 2020, Consul General Wang Donghua delivered an online speech to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The full text is as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen，
Dear Friends,
Hello everyone !
Year 2020 is a year full of challenges. All countries around the world are still working hard to fight against the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. Affected by the pandemic, we are celebrating the 71st Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China online this year.
Over the past 71 years, the Communist Party of China has led the Chinese people in creating an unprecedented development miracle in the history of mankind and completely changed the destiny of the Chinese nation. China’s total economic output has increased by more than 480 times from 30 billion US dollars at the beginning of the founding of New China to 14.4 trillion US dollars in 2019. China has become the world’s second largest economy, the largest country in terms of manufacturing, trade in goods, energy production, and foreign exchange reserves, and the only country that has all the industrial categories listed in the UN industry classification. China's impoverished population in rural areas fell from 770 million in 1978 to 5.51 million in 2019 and the poverty headcount ration dropped to 0.6%. This year, we will achieve the goal of lifting all rural residents living below China’s current poverty line out of poverty, and accomplish the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
Our world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China is fostering a new, dual-cycle development architecture with the domestic cycle as the mainstay and with domestic and international development reinforcing each other. China will never close its door in its pursuit of development. Instead, we will create more opportunities for other countries by expanding the domestic demand and the domestic market. We will open our door wider to the world through deepening reform and expanding opening-up, foster stronger bonds with the world economy, promote a freer flow of production factors including goods, capital and human resources between markets home and abroad, and provide a driving force for the global economic recovery. We will strive to realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and work with others to build a human community of shared future!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
Since its outbreak early this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed serious threat to the safety and health of our people. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have demonstrated resolute courage and firm determination in racing against time and fighting against the pandemic. They promptly waged an all-out people’s war against the virus and effectively brought the spread of the virus under control. It is on such a basis that we have made coordinated efforts to control and prevent the virus and promote economic and social development. We have wasted no time in restoring the order of production and livelihood, and ensured that the basic needs for people’s daily lives and work were met. According to the statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s GDP of the second quarter registered a year on year increase of 3.2%, injecting vitality into the global economic recovery.
Meanwhile, China has worked with other countries to overcome the current challenges and has contributed its wisdom and strength to the global fight against the virus. We have been open, transparent and responsible in fulfilling our international obligations. We have notified WHO and the international community of related information in a timely manner, shared genome sequence of the virus at an earliest possible time, and shared our experience in containment and treatment without any reservation with other countries, including the US. In spite of tremendous pressure owe have in our fight against COVID-19 at home, we have done all we can to provide assistance to the international community. We have provided the WHO with US$50 million in cash, dispatched 34 medical expert teams to 32 countries and provided 283 batches of relief supplies to 150 countries and 4 international organizations. We have also provided and exported medical supplies to over 200 countries in support of their fight against the pandemic. Up until September 6th, we have exported 151.5 billion medical masks, 1.4 billion protective suits, 230 million pairs of protective goggles, 209,000 ventilators, 470 million test kits, and 80.14 million sets of infrared thermometers in total, which has effectively supported global efforts for the fight against the pandemic. At the time of this pandemic still raging, we are prepared to further strengthen cooperation with the international community, including the U.S., to tackle the challenges and safeguard people’s safety, well-being and global public health security.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It is also the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. 75 years ago, the Chinese people fought, alongside people from other countries including the US, with great tenacity and courage, and won the final victory against the Fascists, a great victory of justice triumphing over evil, light expelling darkness. Today, 75 years after the victory, the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us once again that all countries are intertwined in terms of well-being, safety, development and interests, and our human society is a community of a shared future. China always believes that solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to overcome risks and challenges. Just as Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out at the High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations on September 21, China will continue to be a true follower of multilateralism. It will stay actively engaged in reforming and developing the global governance system. It will firmly uphold the UN-centered international system, firmly uphold the international order underpinned by international law, and firmly defend the UN's central role in international affairs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
Since China and the US tied diplomatic relations 41 years ago, several generations of Chinese and Americans have worked together in advancing China-US relations. As a result, our bilateral ties have become one of the most deeply interwoven relationships in the world that enjoys more common interests and has potential for cooperation in more areas than any other relationship. China and the US now account for over one-third of global economic output and over 50% of global growth. Bilateral trade volume has increased by over 250 times since the early days of diplomatic ties and takes up one-fifth of the global total. Two-way investment has jumped from almost zero to nearly US$240 billion, and annual two-way visits by the two peoples have reached five million. Statistics show that China-US business ties support 2.6 million jobs in the US. Trade with China helps each American family save US$850 every year. Over 70,000 American businesses have made investment in China with a total sales volume of US$700 billion. Among them, 97% are profit making. Even with the trade friction and COVID-19, the vast majority of American companies in China have voiced their plan to stay and increased their investment in China. Moreover, the China-US relations have long gone beyond the bilateral scope and both countries shoulder important responsibilities for solutions to almost all global issues concerning world peace and development. The fact shows that mutually beneficial cooperation over the years has turned China and the US into a community with shared interests.
Currently, the China-US relationship, which is having the most challenging time since the establishment of diplomatic relations, has once again come to a crossroad in history. Cooperation will benefit China and the the US, while confrontation will make both lose and the rest of the world suffer. We shouldn’t allow the China-US relationship to be taken hostage by cold war mentality, nor should we just sit idle to see it fall into a state of conflict, confrontation and mutual attrition. Therefore, both countries should take shared historical responsibilities and make a right choice for the future of their relations, taking into full consideration the interests of the 1.7 billion Chinese and Americans, and meeting the expectations of the people in the entire world.
First, we must face up to realities and work to find a way of peaceful coexistence. It is true that there are some differences between China and the US in terms of history, culture and social system. Such differences, however, shouldn’t impede the communications between us. China has no intention to change or challenge the US and the US should respect China’s social system and the Chinese people’s own choice as well. Since the beginning of reform and opening-up, China has learned a lot of useful experience from developed countries. Likewise, some of China’s experience has also been quite relevant for other countries as they tackle current challenges. China and the US have more common interests than differences. It’s a wise choice for our two countries to seek common ground while setting aside differences. We could learn from each other, cooperate with each other and make progress together on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
Secondly, we must keep open the channels for candid dialogues to rebuild mutual trust. As two major countries with unique responsibilities, China and the US should take a highly responsible attitude in dealing with issues concerning our bilateral relations. In such difficult times, it is necessary for China and the US to keep up dialogues and avoid miscalculation which may cause irreparable damage to our bilateral relations. China and the US need to create new ways and channels of dialogue, to promote exchanges and interactions between different government branches, social organizations and local people so as to help the two peoples know more about each other, and, on this basis, rebuild mutual trust step by step.
Thirdly, we must reject decoupling and enhance mutual beneficial cooperation. The interests of the two countries are deeply intertwined. Cooperation serves the best interest of both countries, meets the common expectation of our two peoples, and is the only right choice for both countries. Forced decoupling, which is out of date and impossible, will only harm the interests of the peoples of both countries, inflict damage on bilateral relations, and endanger the security of international industrial chains and interests of all countries. In fighting against the pandemic and reopening the economy, China and the US need each other, and have huge potential and broad prospect for cooperation. China is ready to have mutually beneficial cooperation with the US on pandemic control and economic recovery, share experience in containing COVID-19, and work together with the US in fighting COVID-19 globally within multilateral framework. China will continue implementing the phase one trade agreement, and hopes the US will do the same.
Fourthly, we must abandon the zero-sum mentality and stand up to shared responsibilities. The response to the COVID-19 serves as a new proof that humanity is a community of shared future. Our world still faces many global challenges. Traditional and non-traditional security challenges are interwoven. No country can deal with all the challenges entirely on its own and no country can achieve its development in isolation from the world. Building a community of shared future is the only right path, while playing zero-sum games leads no where. The solution to almost all regional and international hotpots issues requires coordination between China and the US. China and the US must always bear in mind the well-being of mankind, live up to their responsibilities as two major countries, and work together for world peace and stability by carrying out coordination and cooperation as needed in the UN and other multilateral institutions.
China has made its choice very clear. We are committed to upholding the principle of no-conflict, no-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation in developing relations with the US. We are committed to enhancing mutual trust and cooperation between China and the US. We are committed to settling our differences in a constructive way. And we are committed to a sound, steady and sustained development of the China-US relationship for the benefit of the people of both countries and the whole world. We call on and expect the US to meet China halfway and make the same right choice.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
The Consular district of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco includes the State of Nevada, the State of Oregon, the State of Washington, the State of Alaska and North California. As important innovation, industrial and agricultural bases in the US, those states have played an important and unique role in the development of China-US relations. Many enterprises from this region have been deeply involved in China's modernization process, while more and more Chinese enterprises have come here to make investment. Such local exchanges between our consular district and China, particularly those between friendly states and provinces and cities, have been instrumental in promoting our practical cooperation, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between our people and reinforcing the basis for friendly relations between China and the US.
At the beginning of this year, faced with the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, people and businesses in the consular district have voluntarily donated supplies to China in support of the fight against the pandemic. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in the US, the Chinese people and businesses have reciprocated goodwill, and donated and exported PPEs and supplies to the district. Statistics show that during the fight against the virus, China has donated nearly 2 million of masks to the states of California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Alaska，and have exported 100 millions of masks. It is indeed an epitome of inseparable friendship between the people of China and America.
To conclude, I would like to express sincere gratitude to the friends from all walks of life in our consular district, for your contributions to promoting China-US friendship and cooperation, and for your unreserved support for the work of the Consulate. We wish to continue to work with our friends present today in promoting a healthy and steady China-US relationship. Also, the Mid-Autumn Festival of this year coincides with Chinese National Day. As the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time of family reunion, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you and your family health, happiness and prosperity!
Thank you!