On September 29th, 2008, H.E. Mr. Zhang Junsai, the Chinese Ambassador to Australia held a grand reception in the Chinese Embassy to mark the 59th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Around 700 participants including the Hon. Bob Debus, Minister for Home Affairs, other officials from the Australian Federal and ACT governments, several Senators and MPs, the Australian friends from all walks of life and diplomats from various missions and embassies attended the celebration party.

Ambassador Zhang said in his speech, “Over the past 59 years, China has traversed an extraordinary course and scored tremendous achievements in building the country into a strong and prosperous one. China has also contributed to the peace, development and progress of the world.” He stated that this year marks 30 years of China’s reform and opening-up. In the past thirty years, China has been maintaining an average annual economic growth rate of 9.7%, and become the 4th largest economy in the world. The living standards of the Chinese People have improved tremendously. China has also made rapid progress in social development. China plays a more important role in international and regional affairs. China also embraces the trends of multi-polarization, globalization and diversification of civilization. The reform and opening-up has enabled China, a country with more than 5000 years of civilization, to transform successfully into the expressway of modernization.

He went on to say that the year of 2008 is really an extraordinary year for China. “Despite of the unprecedented snowstorm in February and the worst earthquake in 50 years in May, China has maintained a good momentum of the economic and social development. In the first half of the year, China’s GDP grew by 10.4 percent, with trade volume up by 25.7 percent. China’s foreign currency reserve piled up to 1.8 trillion US dollars, ranking the first in the world.”

Talking about the Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Beijing recently, Ambassador Zhang said both games helped further promote the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and the people from the world. Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games were truly unique and unprecedented in the number of participation, as well as the number of world records being broken. More than 100 heads of state or government attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics respectively.

Last week, China’s Shenzhou 7 manned spacecraft has been successfully launched. One of the three astronauts performed China’s first space walk. This marks another historic milestone in China’s space programs since the launch of Shenzhou 6 manned spaceship in 2005 and the nation’s first lunar probe in 2007.

The guests at the reception expressed their congratulations on the successes and progresses China has made during these years and they spoke highly of the successful launching of Shenzhou 7.

On China-Australia relations, Ambassador Zhang expressed that he witnessed the sustained and rapid development in the 36 years since China and Australia established diplomatic relations. There are frequent exchanges of high-level visits between the two countries, which have enhanced mutual trust. In February, China’s Foreign Minister Mr. Yang Jiechi visited Australia and co-launched the China-Australia Strategic Dialogue. The then Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and a number of key cabinet Ministers visited China successively during the past few months. Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress Yan Junqi visited Australia not long ago. There will be more high level visits and dialogues before the end of the year.

China and Australia have made great achievements in economic and trade cooperation. China is now Australia’s biggest trading partner. Bilateral trade volume doubled every 3 years since 2000.

People-to-people exchanges are expanding rapidly. China is now Australia’s fifth largest source of overseas visitors, with the fastest growth rate of tourists. Chinese students account for the largest group among the overseas students in Australia, with one in every four international students being from China. More and more Australians are learning Chinese and the Chinese language has become one of the largest languages in Australia next to English.

“China and Australia have been strengthening consultation and coordination in international and regional affairs, and expanding consensus are expanding on many issues. China and Australia are both important countries in the Asia-Pacific regions. We view and handle our bilateral relations from a strategic perspective. I have the full confidence that China-Australia relations will have a brighter future through our joint efforts.

In his speech, Ambassador Zhang expressed his heartfelt thanks for the generous assistance and sincere support to the Chinese people by the Australian Federal Government, State Governments and local Governments, as well as from the Australian people after the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province. He said the Chinese people would never forget the friendship of the Australian people. Meanwhile, he also expressed his appreciation for Australian people and the Government’s firm support for Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. He extended his congratulations on the great achievements made by Australian athletes at both Games.