On the evening of January 16, 2009, the Chinese Mission to the United Nations held a reception to celebrate the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) with Chinese employees at the UN and Chinese correpondents working in New York. Permanent Representative and Ambassador Zhang Yesui and Madam Chen Naiqing (Amb. Zhang's wife), UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang and Madam Liu Jinfeng (USG Sha's wife) and Minister Liu Hanming of the Chinese Mission attended the reception. The reception gathered about 300 Chinese employees at the UN, Chinese correpondents in New York and diplomats of the Chinese Mission.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Zhang expressed his thanks to the Chinese employees at the UN and the Chinese correspondents in New York for their support over the past year and wished them happiness, good health and every success in the new year.

(Ambassador Zhang Yesui making the opening remarks.)