On 27 September, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney H.E. Zhou Limin visited the Museum of Chinese in Australia located in Sydney’s Chinatown, and met with Dr Stephen FitzGerald AO, Chair of the Museum and Australia's first Ambassador to China. The full text of Consul General Zhou's remarks during the visit is as follows:
Dear Ambassador Stephen FitzGerald,
Friends from the Museum of Chinese in Australia,
It gives me great pleasure to visit the Museum of Chinese in Australia (MOCA). Ambassador Stephen FitzGerald has long been committed to promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Australian peoples, and actively supporting the development of the Chinese community. I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation and admiration to you. It is under your leadership and with the joint efforts of all parties concerned that positive progress has been made in the construction of MOCA, and I would like to extend my warmest congratulations.
Just now, I visited the “Stories of Home” exhibition about the touching stories of generations of Chinese immigrants in Australia, and have been impressed by their arduous yet extraordinary life journey. For over 200 years, the Chinese community in Australia have not only become an important part of Australia's multicultural society, but have also made important contributions to promoting friendship between the Chinese and Australian peoples. I would like to take this opportunity to make three points.
Firstly, the Chinese community is a valuable asset to Australia. The plaque I just presented to the Museum ("Opening roads through mountains to take root and build new homes in Australia, putting bridges over rivers to bring peoples’ hearts together and deepen friendship") has summarized the history of how Australian Chinese have struggled to start businesses here, and the important contribution they have made to the economic and social development of Australia, as well as the friendship between our two countries. They first came because of the “Australian Gold Rushes”, then gradually took root and integrated into the Australian society, and are now playing an active role in various sectors in Australia. Through their own efforts, Chinese immigrants have became an important force driving Australia's national development. I am proud of their tremendous achievements and wish to express my admiration to their indomitable and self-reliant spirit. Ambassador FitzGerald told me that the development of the Museum has received strong support from the NSW Government, Sydney City Council and many sectors of the local community, which reflects the widespread recognition and respect for the Chinese community. We hope that governments at all levels in Australia will continue to provide a sound working and living environment for the Chinese community and support them to achieve better development.
Secondly, the Chinese community is an important bridge connecting the peoples of China and Australia. The friendship between the Chinese and Australian people has a long history, and the overseas Chinese have played a significant role in this regard. They have inherited the fine virtues of the Chinese nation and are familiar with the local situation in Australia, thus having a unique advantage in promoting people-to-people exchanges between our two countries. It is safe to say that they are a window to the Chinese culture, a bridge to promote bilateral cooperation, and a bond to connect the hearts and minds of both countries. The Chinese Garden of Friendship, located near Darling Harbour, is an important symbol of the friendship between our two peoples and the sister state/province relationship between NSW and China’s Guangdong. Back in 1988, construction of the Garden was initiated and warmly supported by the local Chinese community. Recently, Mr Henry Tsang, former Member of the NSW Legislative Council, donated funds to build a "Friendship Bridge" inside the garden, again demonstrating the Chinese community's strong aspiration for China-Australia friendship. In view of the current bilateral relations, we hope that Australian governments at all levels will value the Chinese community’s role as a bridge and bond and jointly make positive efforts to promote China-Australia relations and friendship between our peoples.
Thirdly, the Museum has an important role to play. NSW is regarded as Australia's "first state" in many terms and boasts the largest Chinese community in Australia, the home to nearly half of Australia's Chinese population. The Museum relates the past, present and future stories of the Chinese community in Australia, and reflects their spirits, values and aspirations. The opening of the Museum will fill the blank where there used to be no platform to tell the Chinese stories in NSW, and it will become an important window for the Australian public to understand the Chinese community and highlight their contributions to Australia's national development. I look forward to the early completion of the Museum and believe that it will become a valuable cultural asset for the Chinese community in Australia and NSW, play an important role in enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and other ethnic groups, and contribute to the building of Australia’s multicultural society.
The Chinese Consulate General in Sydney attaches great importance to the role of the Museum. We are willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the museum, provide necessary support and assistance, work together to tell the wonderful stories of the Chinese community in Australia, with a view to enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Australian peoples and gain more supporters and participants for the long-term development of the bilateral relations.
Thank you.