Distinguished guests, dear friends,
Good evening! I am very delighted to get together with you to celebrate 2018 Chinese lunar new year. This is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese people, which encompasses the best wishes of farewelling the past and ushering in the future.
I would like to hereby, on behalf of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney, send our most sincere greetings and best wishes to our guests and friends from all walks of life, to our Chinese compatriots and leaders of the Chinese community in New South Wales, to Chinese companies and organizations and to our students studying in Australia. Wish you all a Happy Chinese Lunar New Year.
2017 is a landmark year in China's development. The Chinese Community Party successfully concluded its Nineteenth National Congress. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. This is a new historic juncture in China's development. The Party Congress establishes the historical position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and sketches out a grand blueprint for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. By 2020 China shall achieve the first "centenary goal" of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and continue towards the second "centenary goal", which is by the middle of this century, China shall be a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.
China will continue to implement with coordination the five-sphere integrated plan [to promote coordinated economic,political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement] and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy [to make comprehensive moves to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, deepen reform, advance law-based governance, and strengthen Party self-governance]. With the new vision for development, China will keep on working to secure a decisive victory in finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, to strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
The Nineteenth Party Congress pointed out that as China continues to develop, we will follow a path of peaceful development. The new era will see China moving closer to the global center stage and making greater contributions to mankind. The overall aim of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics is to foster a new form of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind. China will continue its efforts to safeguard world peace, contribute to global development, and uphold international order.
On 1 December 2017, the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting was held in Beijing. This was the first high level dialogue held by the CPC with world political parties and the first in-depth dialogue by leaders of world political parties on the theme of "Working Together Towards a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind and a Better World: Responsibilities of Political Parties". Leaders representing nearly 300 political parties and organizations from over 120 countries gathered in Beijing to enhance cooperation. During the meeting, General Secretary of CPC Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping delivered the keynote address. The meeting adopted the Beijing Initiative.
Xi Jinping pointed out in his address that the destiny and future of peoples across the world are increasingly intertwined, and we should endeavor to build a world of universal security free from fear, a world of common prosperity free from poverty, an open and inclusive world free from isolation as well as a green, clean and beautiful world. All the political parties should move with the tide of the times, strengthen mutual trust and coordination. Parties around the world should explore the building of a new type of party-to-party relations that seeks to expand common ground while reserving differences and enhances mutual respect and mutual learning. CPC will continue to uphold global peace and tranquility, promote common development for all and promote mutual enrichment among civilizations and enhance exchanges with political parties of other countries, join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind and a better world.
At present, China's economy has transitioned from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development and has thus become a major engine and a stabilizer for global economic growth. In 2017, China's economic volume exceeded 80 trillion Yuan, equivalent to approximately 12.7 trillion US dollars, and the economic growth rate reached 6.9%. China's development is closely linked to that of the world. China will do well only when the world does well and vice versa.
Premier Li Keqiang paid a successful visit to Australia in March 2017, which effectively pushed forward the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. Chinese provinces and New South Wales have enjoyed good momentum of communication and cooperation in areas of economy and trade, finance, science and technology, culture and tourism. As the "first state" in Australia, New South Wales has been leading the way in extending friendly cooperation with China. Over the past year, His Excellency David Hurley, Governor of New South Wales, the Honourable Gladys Berejiklian, the State Premier and Mr Luke Foley, NSW Leader of the Opposition paid respective visits to China, which injected new impetus for the friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between the Chinese side and New South Wales.
Cooperation between China and New South Wales could not have been achieved without the contribution by the Chinese compatriots and members of the Chinese community in New South Wales. They have not only contribute positively to the economic and social development in Australia, but also play unique roles in fostering friendly cooperation between China and Australia as well as enhancing friendship between the two peoples. On the occasion of the Spring Festival, I would like to express our sincere gratitude.
The year 2018 marks the first year that China implements the principles of the Nineteenth CPC National Congress, and also the fortieth anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. It is also the fifth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. China will continue to advance supply-side structural reform, and take tough steps to forestall and defuse major risks, carry out targeted poverty reduction and alleviation, and prevent and control pollution. China will pursue the Belt and Road Initiative as a priority and make new ground in pursuing opening up on all fronts. China will host the annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia, the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and China International Import Expo, opening a new chapter of win-win cooperation between China and countries worldwide. As China strives to realize the Chinese Dream, we hope to join peoples in the world and strive for common development, shared prosperity and realize a world dream.
Looking into 2018, we are expecting a new look of China-Australia relationship. A sound and stable China-Australia relationship serves the fundamental interests of both countries and both peoples. We hope both sides shall promote the development of bilateral relations along the right track and promote friendly exchanges between China and New South Wales to achieve active results on the basis of mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit.
Lastly, I wish you all good health, and the best of fortune, flourishing and prosperous business and best of luck in the year of dog.