It gives me great pleasure to attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition on the Tsinghua bamboo slips and the early Chinese civilization. On behalf of the Chinese Mission to the UN, I wish to extend a warm welcome to all of you.

Tsinghua University is most prestigious in China. Over a hundred years, Tsinghua has produced a great number of talented pioneers and leaders. The bamboo slips shown today, represent Tsinghua's major research achievements in recent years. On these slips of 2300 years ago, Chinese classics including the Book of Songs and the Book of Change were written in the ancient Chinese language. They are not only jewels in the treasure house of Chinese culture, but also the shared wealth of the whole world. I wish to congratulate Tsinghua on its fruitful research on bamboo slips, and express my appreciation for its efforts in promoting international cultural exchanges.

Today, through photos and illustrations, you will discover an interesting fact. Way before paper was created, the Chinese people had inscribed on these bamboo slips, ideas that are familiar to the ears of today --- "harmony without uniformity", "inclusiveness" and "peace and cooperation among states", etc. Over thousands of years, these ideas have been encoded in the genes of the Chinese people, and guided China in its interaction with other nations. Today, in these manuscripts, we find thoughts in line with the current trend of peace, development and cooperation, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As ancient Chinese classics go, state-to-state relations rely on people-to-people exchanges; and heart-to-heart communication fosters enduring friendship. Throughout history, the Chinese people have been loving peace, valuing inclusiveness, and seeking win-win results. Now, the Chinese people are striving to turn their dream into reality, the dream of national rejuvenation, prosperity and people's well-being. This will be pursued through exchanges and win-win cooperation with the rest of the world,and in the process of working towards world peace and development. In pursuing our own dream, China will work with other countries for more development opportunities, and the common dream of a better world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I believe the exhibition will deepen your understanding of China's culture and China's road, and contribute to the exchanges and dialogues among different cultures. I wish the exhibition success. Thank you.