H.E. Mr. Evo Morales, President of the Plurinational state of Bolivia,

H.E. Ms. María Cristina Perceval, Acting President of General Assembly,

H.E. Mr. Luwellyn Landers, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to attend the handover ceremony of the chairmanship of the Group of 77. First of all, I wish to so1ute and thank the outgoing Chair Bolivia, and express high appreciation to Ambassador Llorenty and his team for their outstanding leadership, dedication and professionalism.

The year 2014 was a busy and memorable year. Under the able leadership Of Bo1ivia, the Group of 77 and China intensified coordination and fully participated in UN's economic, social development and other endeavors. The Commemorative Summit on the 50th anniversary of the Group was successfully held. In such important processes as the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, UN Climate Summit, the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing Countries and the Second UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, the Group of 77 and China united as one, upholding shared interests and international justice, promoting the status of the Group and making important contribution to greater international cooperation on development.

I wish to extend warm congratulations and welcome to South Africa, the Chair country of the Group of 77 for 2015. As a major developing country with important influence, South Africa plays an important role in international affairs. China and South Africa enjoy a profound traditional friendship. Our comprehensive strategic partnership is growing from strengthen to strengthen with fruitful cooperation across the board. We are convinced that under the leadership of South Africa, the Group of 77 and China will continue to carry forward the fine tradition of solidarity and cooperation and further promote cooperation and common development of the developing world.

The year 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. It will be a year of great significance with milestones to be set in preserving world peace, promoting common development and establishing a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation at the core. A development summit will be held by the UN to adopt a post-2015 development agenda. The negotiations on the agenda, the third international conference on financing for development and many more tasks in front of us are all important as they bear on the future direction of international cooperation on development and on the future development opportunities and space of all countries. To realize our shared goals and uphold our common interests, the sure path is to seek common ground and shelve differences and shape a community of shared destiny. We would suggest that the Group of 77 give full play to its advantages and synergy, intensify coordination and ensure the top-down design of its endeavors. The Group should insist that the post-2015 development agenda take poverty eradication and development promotion as its core and stay committed to such important principles as diversity in development models and "common but differentiated responsibilities". Efforts should be made to strengthen means of implementation and relevant mechanisms, promote the establishment of a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation at the core in order to create a more favorable international development environment for developing countries.

As a committed member of the developing world, China values the role of the Group of 77 and cherishes the mechanism of the Group of 77 and China. Going forward, we will, as always, work to strengthen coordination and cooperation with all members of the Group and give all-out support to the work of South Africa as the Chair of the Group for 2015.