Marching together towards a community with a shared future for mankind
Message by Chinese Ambassador ZHOU Jian
DEAR friends, today is the Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival in Chinese culture. As the beginning of a new year on traditional Chinese calendar, it is a joyous occasion when families reunite to ring out the old year and ring in the new.
On this day, Chinese people celebrate by making dumplings, putting up couplets written on red paper, paying visits to friends and relatives, and exchanging best wishes for the new year.
Starting from this year, the Spring Festival is officially listed as a UN Floating Holiday, marking its increasing recognition around the world.
The year 2024 is the year of the dragon, which is a totem of the Chinese nation that symbolises luck, prosperity and strength. I am sure that the Chinese dragon will bring good luck to every Fijian friend.
The Spring Festival is a time to take stock of past achievements. Looking back, I am full of pride.
The past year witnessed big strides in China's development. A smooth transition was achieved in COVID-19 response efforts. Steady progress has been made in pursuing high-quality development. The economy recorded a GDP growth rate of 5.2 percent. The Shenzhou spaceships are continuing their missions in space, and the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe reached the deepest ocean trench, among other new creations and innovations that are emerging every day. Tourist destinations are full of visitors on holidays, and the film market is booming, both of which mark the return of bustling life across the country.
China continued to push for world peace, including by facilitating the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, promoting peace talks for resolving the Ukraine crisis, and advocating for a ceasefire in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The past year witnessed fruitful results in China-Fiji relations. The historic meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Rabuka laid out a blueprint for win-win cooperation between the two countries. Fijian MPs and chiefs took high-speed trains and visited villages in China, experiencing first-hand the miracles of the Green Rural Revival Program and Chinese modernisation.
Juncao technology introduced by China brought the joy of harvest, Suva multi-purpose facilities renovated by China kindled enthusiasm for sports, solar lights donated by China lighted up the way home, and Fijian specialty products were showcased at the China International Import Expo.
The past year witnessed deepening ties between the Chinese and Fijian peoples. Fijian students went to study in China on Chinese government scholarships.
Tens of thousands of Chinese tourists came to Fiji to have a look at this beautiful country known as a pearl in South Pacific. Chinese ships Qi Jiguang and Yuanwang that berthed in Suva attracted a lot of locals. Medical teams sent by China continued touching stories of treating illness and saving lives in Fiji. Delegations from Shandong, Zhejiang, Henan and Guangdong visited Fiji with their products, expertise and more importantly business opportunities for winwin cooperation.
Spring Festival is also a time to look ahead to the future. Going forward, I am full of confidence.
I am confident that China will develop with the resilience of the dragon. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and a key year in realising the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan.
China will continue to steadfastly advance Chinese modernisation and high-level opening-up, provide the world with new opportunities with its own progress, and contribute to world peace and common development.
China is ready to work with others who share the aspiration for a better world towards building a community with a shared future for mankind.
I am confident that China-Fiji relations will advance with the vigor of the dragon. China will continue to work hand in hand with Fiji to implement the consensus between our leaders and scale new heights in our bilateral relations.
China stands ready to work with Fiji to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, and advance cooperation in such areas as infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and new energy, thus contributing to the economic and social development in Fiji. The year 1976, which was also a year of the dragon, saw China open its embassy in Fiji. The year 2024 could well be another milestone in China-Fiji relations.
I am confident that the Chinese and Fijian peoples will work together with the strength of the dragon. As a Chinese saying goes, the people is the foundation of a state.
Both the Chinese and the Fijian are wise and diligent people who believe in hard work.
I hope in the new year the two peoples will visit each other frequently like visiting family members. China stands ready to join hands with Fiji to further enhance people-topeople exchanges and strengthen bilateral relations for common prosperity.
On festive occasions, more than ever one thinks of family members far away. The Spring Festival is a time for family reunion. As Chinese people at home and abroad celebrate together, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait long for the true family reunion of their motherland. That will surely be a reality.
China's reunification is the trend of history that cannot be stopped. The one-China principle is the consensus of the international community that cannot be changed.
On this auspicious occasion, I wish our countries prosperity, our peoples happiness, and the world peace and tranquility.
Wish you a year of good luck and great success! Xie Xie. Vinaka Vakalevu.