Honorable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin,
Pengiran Pengiran, Pehin Pehin, Dato Dato, Datin Datin,
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Dear compatriots, distinguished guests, friends from media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening!
Tonight, we are delighted to gather here to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Brunei, I would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to all the friends who have long supported China's development and committed themselves to China-Brunei friendship and cooperation. Thank you Honorable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports for joining us as Guest of Honour today, and give us the chance to share with you our joyfulness and happiness at this special moment.
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, with 70 years of hard work,China has achieved a tremendous transformation, it has stood up, is going to prosperity and is becoming strong.
Over the past 70 years, especially since the reform and opening up in 1978, China's economy has grown rapidly. Since 2010, China has been the second largest economy in the world. In 2014, it became the second country in the world with an economy of over 10 trillion US dollars. For 13 consecutive years, Chinese economy has been the largest contributor to the world economy. China now ranks first in terms of goods trade and industrial products. The industrial products from China accounts for 25% of the global total. China is also the second largest destination for foreign direct investment.
China's achievements are the result of the Chinese people's hard work. Its development has benefited 1.4 billion Chinese people. In the past four decades, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty, accounting for more than 70% of those who have been lifted out of poverty worldwide in the same period of time. It has created miracal in the history of poverty alleviation which World Bank described as one of the greatest story in the history of mankind. Chinese people's life expectancy has reached 77 years. China has established the world's largest social security system. By 2018, the enrollment rate of basic education has exceeded 99.95%.
China has showed great potential in scientific and technological development. China's investment in research and development ranks second in the world in scale. The total number of scientific research and development personnels and the number of invention patent applications have respectively for 6 and 8 consecutive years ranked first in the world. China has made major breakthroughs in manned space flight, quantum communication, deep-sea exploration and super-computers. China is leading the world trend in the field of high-speed railway, mobile payment and e-commerce.
For us Chinese, China will do well only when the world does well, and vice versa. This is China's view and China's action as well. China proposes to build a community of shared future for mankind, actively participate in global governance, contribute China's wisdom and undertake its responsibility as a major country. In 2013, China proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and has been receiving positive response since then from more than 160 countries and international organizations. China pursues a defensive national defense policy and adheres to the path of peaceful development. Today, China has become the second largest contributor to the United Nation's dues and the second largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping operation spending. At the same time, China is also the largest peacekeeper contributor among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The year of 2019 is a crucial year for the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in China in all respects and realizing China's first centenary goal. This year, despite challenges such as trade disputes and Hong Kong riots, we are confident of maintaining steady growth of China's economy. China will uphold one country, two systems principle and promote national reunification. China will continue to deepen reform and opening-up and follow the development path matching its own situation.
China and Brunei facing each other across the sea, are good neighbors sharing a long history of exchanges and traditional friendship. In the new era, the friendship between China and Brunei has been developing at an accelerated pace and full of vitality. In 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Brunei. The two heads of the states decided to elevate the relations of the two countries to a Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Last April, His Majesty attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. In the same month, the 16th China-Brunei diplomatic consultation was held in Beijing. In May, Brunei Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin attended the Asian Civilization Conference in Beijing and met with the Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Luo Shugang. In August, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Brunei's Minister of Foreign Affairs II Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan in Bangkok. Early this month, Her Royal Highness Princess Masna visited China and attended the completion ceremony of the new memorial park of the Tomb of the King of Boni in China's Nanjing city. China-Brunei's trade volume grew by 86% in 2018 , the growth rate ranking first among that of ASEAN countries. Hengyi Petrochemical Project, the largest China-Brunei cooperative project, will bring Brunei its first large-scale petrochemical project and accelerate Bruneian economic diversification efforts. Brunei National Pavillion opened in JD.com, one of the largest e-commerce platform in China. Not long ago, the Chinese Embassy in Brunei and the Ministry of Education of Brunei jointly held the "Beauty of China" Painting Competition among primary school students. Besides the direct flights from Brunei to 6 cities in mainland China, direct flight between the two capitals will soon come to operation.
According to the consensus reached by the two heads of the states of China and Brunei, next year will be China-Brunei Tourism Year. In order to warm up the year of tourism and celebrate the 70th anniversary, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Chinese Embassy will host the Night of Chinese Cultural Tourism with Wushu and Taiji performance tomorrow evening at Jerudong Park Amphitheater. Welcome to Chinese Cultural and Tourism Night tomorrow.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the performance group from Henan province. This evening, we have the pleasure to present
two pieces of performances of Chinese Wushu and Taiji.
In conclusion, I extend my best wishes to the peace and prosperity of China, and the well-being of the Chinese people. Best wishes to the friendship and cooperation between China and Brunei. I wish all the guests a pleasant evening!
Thank you.