Your Excellency Under-Secretary-General Movses Abelian, 

Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, 

Under-Secretary-General Xu Haoliang, 

Chef de Cabinet Ivor Fung, 

Director General Qing Boming, 

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Good morning! 

In this vibrant spring month brimming with life, it is a great pleasure to join all of you to celebrate the 16th United Nations Chinese Language Day. This year’s theme is Poetic China: Rhymes and Romance. As the saying goes, joy is richer when shared. Let us listen together to the lyrical recitations of poetry, trace the evolution of Chinese characters across the millennia, unlock the timeless code of civilization they embody, and bear witness to inter-civilizational dialogue.

At the outset, I wish to express my deep appreciation to the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Anyang Municipal Government of Henan Province, and the National Museum of Chinese Writing for their meticulous planning in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations. I also thank the Chinese translation service of UN DGACM, the Chinese Book Club, the Chinese language program, and UN Singers for their unreserved support. Thanks to their dedication, we are able to be here together to immerse ourselves in the beauty of the Chinese language and to raise our voices in the song of friendship. 

China is a nation where poetry resides in the soul of its people. 3,000 years ago, the Book of Poetry marked the start of a cultural tradition, as captured in the saying “without learning poetry, one cannot truly speak”. To the Chinese, poetry is not merely the rhyme of words, it is also a way of seeing, feeling, and understanding the world. Across centuries, scholars and poets have woven their joys and sorrows into verse, recording the spirit of their times. Countless timeless lines have traveled across ages, recited from generation to generation, etched into the collective memory of the Chinese people. Within them flow the universal emotions we all share: awe of nature, longing for home, celebration of friendship, and yearning for peace. 

Today, poetry continues to nourish the land of China, while reaching far beyond its borders through the power of translation, stirring deep resonance among readers across the world. Internet technologies and new media platforms have further kindled a global passion for the Chinese language. Chinese is stepping ever more confidently onto the world stage, becoming a bridge that crosses cultures, fosters understanding, and helps forge consensus. It is now taught in over 190 countries, a testament to its growing global reach. At the United Nations, the rise of Chinese is seen in the growing number of students enrolled in the Chinese language courses. Diplomats and staff in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, Bangkok, and beyond invest their spare time to learn Chinese, which is very touching. The United Nations Chinese language study tour to China, now in its 18th iteration, has met with great enthusiasm and acclaim. 

These facts speak to a deeper truth: more and more people see the Chinese language as a golden key to a wider world. China, with its radiant 5,000-year civilization and a vibrant march toward Chinese-style modernization, stands at the confluence of past and future. In an era empowered by cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, the time has never been better, nor has it been more necessary, to learn Chinese to discover China and build a future of shared success.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Multilingualism, and the rich tapestry of civilizations it embodies, have long been cherished by entire humanity, and upheld and celebrated by the United Nations. 

Over the past 80 years, along with the other five official languages of the UN, Chinese has served as a vital channel for this Organization to convey its ideals across the world, and has played a significant role in our collective endeavor for multilateralism.

Today, we gather together for the Chinese Language Day. Yet, this occasion is more than just one language. It is a celebration of dialogue among civilizations.

Our world today faces an array of pressing challenges, from geopolitical tensions to development disparities and climate change. In the face of these difficulties, dialogue and cooperation are not an option, but a must.

I think this spirit of unity and mutual support was already appreciated and captured by our ancestors when they created the Chinese language. If you look at the the character for “human” (人), it is formed by two simple strokes leaning on each other, symbolizing the idea that we human beings can only survive and thrive through mutual support. Just like the saying goes, it takes two to tango.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before concluding, allow me to share a line of poetry that President Xi Jinping once quoted at the conference marking the 50th Anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China at the UN. 

The poem goes like this:

 “青山一道同云雨，明月何曾是两乡”. 

Green hills immerse in the same cloud and rain. 

The same moon lights up towns however far away. 

Indeed, though we may differ in nationality, race, language, or culture, we live under the same sky, and bask in the same sunshine and moonlight as a global community with a shared future. 

Let us keep connected through the power of language. 

Let us replace confrontation with dialogue, and bridge differences with tolerance. 

Let us stand on the right side of history, for peace, development, and human progress. 

And here at the United Nations, let us continue writing a new chapter of mutual understanding and cooperation—for a better future for all.

Finally, I wish this year’s Chinese Language Day celebration a great success! 我预祝中文日活动圆满成功！谢谢大家！Thank you!