‘China has been biggest trade partner of Oman’
We have always kept our promises when cooperating with others. China has attracted foreign investment for a cumulative total of $2 trillion, and become the trade partner of more than 120 countries and regions. The first China International Import Expo held in Shanghai last month has demonstrated the sincerity and determination of China for a even wider openness.
Chinese government has ensured that all power of the state belongs to the people, and that people are entitled to all the constitutional rights. By ensuring every dimension of governance is law-based and ensuring the continuation of institution and law enforcement, we will safeguard the implementation of reforms and opening-up policy.
The consumption structure of Chinese residents are now experiencing a transformation from “subsistence type” to “well-off type”, the consumption demand has switched from sufficiency to high-quality. By the end of July 2018, China has 802 million Internet users and 533 million online shoppers. China is now stepping into a “cashless society”. Nowadays, all the payment in China, even buying food form snack bars, can be completed through smart phones. Chinese people are all sharing a great expectation and strong belief to a better future.
To achieve worldwide stability and prosperity, the international community is expecting China to propose more Chinese approaches, share more Chinese knowledge, and offer more public goods, just like the “Belt and Road” initiative.
In the 40 years progress of reform, China has gained a wealth of valuable experience, which includes: the strong leadership of an experienced political party, free of minds and theoretical innovation, gradual reformation and the balance between reforms, development and stability.
As President Xi Jingping said on the conference celebrating the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up, “Openness leads to progress while seclusion leaves one behind. China cannot realise development without the world, the world cannot achieve prosperity without China. The 21st century is a century of cooperation. A broad vision will open up broad vistas for our future cooperation.”
China will ‘adhere to a wider openness, and build a community with a shared future for mankind’. This is a clear signal from the China’s top leader demonstrating that China will carry on reform and opening-up policy.
China and Oman established diplomatic relation in the same year of carry-out of reforms and opening-up policy. China-Oman relationship has achieved leapfrog development and become an epitome of China being deeply connected to the rest of the world.
China has been the biggest trade partner of Oman for the past few years, and Oman is the fifth biggest oil import source of China. The two countries have carried out a series of fruitful cooperation in the area of politics, economy, investment and culture. In May 2018, President Xi Jinping and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said exchanged congratulatory messages and jointly announced the establishment of strategic partnership between two countries. It brought the bilateral relationship to a higher level, and drew a grand blueprint for the future development of bilateral relationship.
Belt and Road
Two countries have also signed a MoU on jointly building the “Belt and Road”, which has built a new platform of pragmatic cooperation in all areas. As the strategic partner of Oman, China will uphold the principle of openness and share successful experience of reforms and opening-up to our Omani friend. Under the framework of “Belt and Road” initiative, we shall make the best of our different advantages in capital, technology, market and resource, together explore new areas of mutual benefit and win-win progress, build a wider space and create more opportunities for the bilateral cooperation.
There is no end in the history, and no stop for the struggle. At a critical moment of the great course of the reform and opening-up, China will learn from the historical lessons, uphold the principle of open development, keep to the path of internationalisation and oppose protectionism and unilateralism. We will share our wisdom, approaches and power to the world, to create an open world economy and a community with a shared future for mankind together.
Li Lingbing is ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Sultanate of Oman