Remarks by Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong at Reception Marking the 58^th Anniversary of the Founding of

the People's Republic of China

Intercontinental Hotel, Doha, September 30, 2007

Your Excellency Honorable Sheikh Mashal Al-Thani,

Excellencies,

The Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

"Ramadan Kareem"!

Thank you all for joining us today on the joyful occasion of the 58^th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

This reception is my first one after I arrived last June at beautiful Doha. I am actually also taking this opportunity de facto for my post assumption function to be meeting with my colleagues and friends here, old and new. It is my great honor to have you all present this evening. I would like to thank you for your kind help for my predecessors and ask for your continuous trust, guidance and support.

I would have a special word of thanks to HE Sheikh Mashael, not only for his efforts all these years in promoting our two countries' friendship in general, but also in particular for what he is doing momentarily now--busy receiving our Hainan Province delegation headed by vice-governor Mr. Zhou Wenzhang coming this week to study how Qatar is so effectively bringing up your social and cultural development. The exchanges will certainly benefit both sides.

Ladies and gentlemen, on this pleasant National Day celebration, we look back and ahead into the future with pride and confidence that our great nation has been and will continue to be obtaining new achievements in her opening up and modernization drive.

---- Tremendous advancements have been made in our country since the People's Republic of China was born 58 years ago, especially so over the past 29 years since we started reform and opening-up, during which China has enjoyed about 9% annual growth in a run and its economy expanded by 11 times. China now is the fourth largest economy and third largest trade entity in the world.

---- By maintaining strong economic social development and staying actively engaged in international affairs, our friendship and cooperation with countries all over the world have kept expanding. As a responsible member of the international community, China is determined to keep on a peaceful development path and will endeavor to help ensure that the world in which we live remains a secure and prosperous one.

---- As you know, in the coming mid-October we in China are scheduled to have the Seventeenth National Congress of the CPC.  It is a most grant and important event in summing up what we have learned and achieved over the past years and will pave the way for the next 10 years in national development in all senses.

---- In August next year, we are going to hold the Beijing Olympic Games. I would assure you that we are going to have a wonderful and successful one. The Chinese people whole-heartedly look forward to it and are preparing to welcome peoples and countries across the world.

---- In 2010, we are going hold the Shanghai World Expo, which this country the State of Qatar has already decided, I am glad to announce today, to join the other about 170 countries or international organizations in participating. I am sure that Shanghai is going to give the best show of what your great people and country have achieved to the peoples of China and the whole world.

Obviously, our achievements are being obtained with efforts of 1.3 billion Chinese people, and indispensably with friendly cooperation between us and peoples all over the world. Those valuable and well cherished friendship and cooperation also come constantly from the great people and government of Qatar. I would take this opportunity to thank every one of you here for all that.

The past year has also seen new growth in the Sino-Qatar relationship. We highly appreciate Qatar's adherence to the One China policy, which serves as a corner stone of a strong and trusted China-Qatar partnership. Our trade and people to people exchanges both enjoyed double digit growth. Our dialogue and mutual support are deepening upon a wide range of issues of mutual concern and interests in international arena. Looking ahead, there is for us an even brighter future in store. Qatar has embarked through all these years' efforts under the wise leadership and guidance of HH Sheikh Hamad the Emir on an admirable prosperous path. China's development is also standing on a new starting point. Economies between us are highly complementary and huge potential is laying there just for us to tap. I believe that with efforts of both sides, bilateral relations and cooperation between China and Qatar will see further dramatic growth in the months and years to come. 

As our national anthem sings, China is marching on, in spite of all difficulties and challenges. Yet we will and can only be marching on with joint efforts of the world and certainly with that of Qatar too. Let us work together to seize the day and press ahead to bring China-Qatar friendship and cooperation to a new high, and to pool our endeavor with the rest of the world to bring about a harmonious world featuring lasting peace and common prosperity for all.  

Thank you.