Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening, and welcome to the Permanent Mission of China. 

October 1 marks the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of all my colleagues at the Mission, I sincerely thank you for joining us in celebrating this auspicious occasion, and thank you for your longstanding interest in and support for China's development and diplomacy.

Over the past 77 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have moved forward with confidence and determination toward national rejuvenation. We have forged a path of Chinese modernization and achieved remarkable progress.

And this progress is ongoing. China's economy grew by 4.7 percent in the first half of this year. In 2025, our GDP surpassed 140 trillion yuan, marking another major milestone in China's development. For many years, China has contributed around 30 percent on average to global economic growth and is now a major trading partner of more than 160 countries and regions.

Openness remains a strong driver of China's growth. We continue to build a higher-standard open economy. China has remained the world's second-largest import market for 17 consecutive years. Our zero-tariff treatment now covers imports from 63 countries, including all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China.

Our doors are opening wider not only to commodities, but to visitors as well. The 240-hour visa-free transit policy now covers 57 countries. More international visitors are traveling to China. And Chinese online literature, dramas and games are reaching wider audiences overseas. The "Chinamaxxing" trend has swept across the world, moving from screens into everyday life.

Innovation is another key driver of China's long-term growth and industrial competitiveness. In the first half of this year, new growth drivers, including advanced manufacturing and the digital economy, contributed more than 40 percent of economic growth.

AI, robots and innovative drugs, known as the "new new three," are propelling China from the "world's factory" to a global innovation powerhouse. China produced more than 1.5 billion chips a day, while daily AI token usage reached hundreds of trillions, the highest level in the world. In green transition, renewable energy now accounts for more than 60 percent of our installed power capacity and over 40 percent of our electricity generation. In space technology, the maiden flight of the Long March-10B marked China's first successful controlled rocket recovery.

We believe innovation should be shared, not monopolized. Chinese open-source AI models have been downloaded more than 10 billion times worldwide, while embodied AI is moving toward large-scale commercial use. These advances are helping bridge the global AI divide.

Dear Friends,

China's progress has never been just about its own development. As we have grown, so too has our engagement with the world. 

Just a few days ago, President Xi Jinping concluded a state visit to the United States. Against a volatile and turbulent international backdrop, the visit led to new progress in a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability. It also carries far-reaching significance for world peace and development.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations. Last week, Vice President Han Zheng was here for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. He reaffirmed China's longstanding commitment to true multilateralism and its support for the UN's central role in international affairs.

With a keen understanding of global trends and the needs of our times, President Xi Jinping has put forward the four major global initiatives, offering Chinese solutions for addressing the deficits in peace and security, development and global governance.

The Global Development Initiative is helping reinvigorate international development. In the five years since its launch, it has mobilized over 23 billion US dollars and funded more than 2,000 cooperation projects in over 120 countries. 

The Global Security Initiative advocates common security. We practice a unique Chinese approach to resolving hotspot issues and have dispatched over 50,000 UN peacekeepers. China is the second-largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and the largest troop contributor among the permanent members of the Security Council. 

The Global Civilization Initiative promotes exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Together with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, we co-hosted events marking the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, providing a platform for dialogue on an equal footing.

The Global Governance Initiative is intended to help write a new chapter in global governance. It quickly received widespread support from nearly 160 countries and international organizations. We have proposed nine reform priorities and initiated the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation and the World AI Cooperation Organization. We are also bidding to host the BBNJ Secretariat. And on that, we count on your strong support.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

A China committed to peace and development and driven by innovation is earning growing trust around the world. As we celebrate these achievements, we also look to the future with confidence.

This year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. It is both a blueprint for our own development and an invitation to greater cooperation with the world.

China will continue to pursue high-quality development and expand high-standard opening up. We will share the opportunities of our development with other countries and work together to create greater prosperity for all.

We will also remain firmly committed to multilateralism, stand together with the United Nations, and work with all countries to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Finally, on behalf of all my colleagues at the Mission, I would like to extend my heartfelt wishes for the prosperity of our great motherland, the happiness and well-being of our people, and peace and tranquility throughout the world.

And as usual, please allow me to say it again in Chinese.

值此中华人民共和国成立77周年之际，我谨代表中国常驻联合国代表团的全体同事，祝愿伟大祖国繁荣昌盛！祝福全国人民幸福安康！祝愿世界和平安宁！

Thank you.