Honourable

Honourable Ministers, Members of Parliament and senior government officials,

Your Excellencies, members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Friends from all circles,

Fellow citizens,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On the occasion of the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, I would like, on behalf of the Embassy of China in Zimbabwe, to extend my warm welcome and sincere greetings to all distinguished guests and friends here present.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In 1949, the People's Republic of China was established. Since then, the Chinese nation has stood up and ushered in a new era when the Chinese people became masters of their own destiny. All-around progress has been made in political, economic and social fields, which has won world recognition. Particularly in the past 28 years when China embarked on a path of reform and opening-up, China's GDP has been growing at 9.6% on average and reached 2.23 trillion US dollars in 2005; China's overall national strength has achieved historic leap-forward; the Chinese people are leading a relatively comfortable life. In the first half of 2006, China's macro-economy continued on a smooth path; its GDP rose by 10.9% over the same period last year; the second manned spaceship was successfully launched; the world's largest "Three Gorges Dam" successfully cut off the Yangtze River; the world's highest railway was open on "World Roof"-Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. At the beginning of this year, China formulated the "Outline of 11th Five-Year Plan of National Economic and Social Development", drawing up a grand future for the nation, this is to say, by the year 2010, China's per capita GDP should double that of 2000; by 2020, its GDP should quadruple that of 2000 to reach 4 trillion US dollars, averaging 3000 US dollars per head. China is standing now at a new starting point of history.

On the other hand, we are sober to note that China is still a developing country with a large population, weak foundation, uneven development and mounting pressure on job creation. We still have a long way to go before China achieves modernization. China's progress is intimately linked to the world. It requires peaceful international environment and friendly cooperation with the rest of the world. Therefore, China will persist in an independent foreign policy of peace and steadfastly adhere to peaceful development. Within China, we will focus our attention on national development and building a harmonious society; outside China, we will work with other countries to build a harmonious world. China's development will not pose any threat to any one; on the contrary, it will only bring opportunities to others. China is and will always be a staunch force for world peace and common prosperity.

Friends and guests,

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of diplomatic ties between China and African countries. Over the past 50 years, China and Africa have supported each other in safeguarding national dignity and sovereignty. We have cooperated with each other in national development and livelihood enhancement. We have acted in concert to maintain world peace and defend the rights of developing countries. Our friendship is deep and strong. China-Africa relations have turned into a model of state-to-state relations characterized by equality and friendliness. Early this year, the Chinese Government issued the African Policy Paper. The Paper defines China's goal of carrying forward China-Africa traditional friendship and deepening all-around friendly cooperation between China and Africa in a new era as well as its commitment to the goal. This November will witness the Beijing Summit and 3rd Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing. It is a monumental event as the first collective meeting of Chinese and African leaders and will go down in the annals of China-Africa relations. During the Summit, the Chinese leaders will initiate, together with African counterparts, a new type of strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchange, enriching and injecting new vitality into the long-lasting friendship between China and Africa.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China always cherishes its traditional friendship with the Zimbabwean people, values its friendly cooperation with Zimbabwe and appreciates with gratitude that the Zimbabwean Government and people resolutely stick to One China policy and support peaceful reunification of China. This year, bilateral friendly cooperation in all fields continues to yield fruitful results. In June, Hon. Vice President Joice Mujuru paid a successful visit to China at the invitation of the Communist Party of China. Both sides exchanged experience in state governance and reached many consensus of importance. In February, China donated 3000 tonnes of maize to Zimbabwe in time of pressing need by the Zimbabwean people. On August 30, related authorities of our two countries signed Agreement for the Establishment of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe. Cultural exchange has entered into a substantive stage. As I am speaking, invited by Chinese National People's Congress, Zimbabwean bicameral delegation led by Honourable John Nkomo, Speaker of the House of Assembly, is visiting China. This visit will further enhance exchanges and cooperation between legislative bodies of our two countries. We have full reason to believe that with concerted efforts by both countries, the forward-looking China-Zimbabwe friendly cooperative relations will have a splendid future.

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, may I request you to join me in proposing a toast

To the prosperity of China and Zimbabwe,

To the ever-lasting friendship between China and Zimbabwe,

To the good health of His Excellency, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe,

Ganbei! Cheers!

Thank you.