October 1st is the National Day of the People’s Republic of China. On this occasion that all Chinese at home and abroad celebrate together, I would like to extend holiday greetings to my compatriots and share our pride and joy with friends from all walks of life in the consular district.
73 years ago, the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China was established. This marked the ultimate transformation of the country from the rule of feudal autocracy, existing for several thousand years, to a people’s democracy, which has greatly changed the world political pattern and inspired the oppressed nations and people all over the world to fight for liberation. Over the past 73 years, the Chinese people have experienced an eventful history. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, China carried out its socialist transformation and established the basic system of socialism, accomplished the most profound and the greatest social transformation in China’s history, and thereby brought about a great transformation from a poor and backward Eastern country with a large population to a socialist country. In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, China continued to explore a right path for building socialism, and achieved the historic transformation from a country with relatively backward productive forces to the world’s second largest economy.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has entered a new era. China’s economy has continued to develop healthily, its overall national strength has significantly increased, and its international influence has steadily expanded. On July 1, 2021, on the occasion of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping solemnly announced that China had realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, brought about a historic resolution to the problem of absolute poverty, and successfully embarked on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects and to realize the second centenary goal. The Chinese nation had achieved the tremendous transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, and China’s national rejuvenation had become a historical inevitability.
In 2021, China’s GDP reached 17.7 trillion USD, ranking second in the world, and accounting for 18.5% of the global economy. China’s contribution to world economic growth reached 25%, becoming the main force leading the recovery of the world economy. China’s GDP per capita was around 12,551 USD, exceeding the global average and approaching the per capita threshold for high-income economies set by the World Bank. China’s volume of trade in goods and balance of foreign exchange reserves ranked first in the world, while the scale of service trade, foreign investment and consumer market ranked second in the world.
This year, despite unexpected factors on the world stage and its domestic pandemic situation, China has shown strong economic resilience and immense potential for development. The fundamentals of China’s long-term sound economic growth have not changed, the trend of sustained and stable recovery has not changed, and the conditions for promoting high-quality development have not changed. The Chinese government is effectively coordinating pandemic prevention and control with economic and social development, actively implementing the new development concepts of innovation, coordination, green development, openness and sharing. China also sped up the construction of a new development pattern with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulation reinforcing each other, promoting high-quality development. The rebound of the domestic pandemic has been effectively controlled, the national economy has recovered steadily, and the overall social situation has remained stable.
Midstream is where the current is the strongest and the halfway point of a journey is always the most difficult. Yet we are always full of confidence on the road to realizing the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China has the strong leadership of the Communist Party and the advantage of a socialist system that can concentrate strength for major undertakings, which fundamentally ensures that China can achieve economic and social stability. China’s solid material foundation accumulated in the past decades, rich human resources, well-developed industrial system, and growing strength in scientific and technological innovation have brought the world’s second-largest economy the confidence and capability to guard against external risks and impacts.
China will adhere to the development path that is in line with its national conditions and promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization. As a developing country, China is committed to doing its best to help other developing countries achieve common development. Since last year, President Xi Jinping has successively put forward the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, calling on all countries in the world to work together and create a better future. The two major initiatives complement and reinforce each other, providing peace and development to countries, and contribute China’s wisdom and solutions for world development.
On October 16th this year, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be held, which will plan the goals, tasks, and policies of China’s development for the next five years and beyond. China pursues an independent foreign policy that holds high the banner of peace, development, and win-win cooperation. China will continue to firmly safeguard world peace, promote common development, and build a shared future for humankind.
China and Thailand are good neighbors, partners, friends, and relatives who live in harmony and enjoy a longstanding friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 47 years ago, the two sides have had frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful practical cooperation. China-Thailand relations have shown strong vitality and become a model of relations between countries with different social systems. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Thailand. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited Thailand and reached important consensus with Thailand on jointly building a community with a shared future for China and Thailand. China and Thailand share similar goals and concepts on development issues. There are many favorable conditions for closer mutually beneficial cooperation. We believe that with the joint efforts of both sides, our relationship will have a bright future.
Since this year, I have visited local governments in our consular district, made extensive contacts with local governmental and non-governmental organizations, and made friends with people from all walks of life. I have experienced firsthand the friendship of Northern Thailand towards the Chinese people and their ardent desires for strengthening China-Thailand cooperation. With the opening of the China-Laos railway, the China-Laos-Thailand railway has been connected, and greater synergy between the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Framework and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor would lead to more positive outcomes. Catching the express train of the “Belt and Road Initiative” as soon as possible will help further give play to the regional advantages of Northern Thailand in regional cooperation and development. The Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai will, as always, play a good role as a bridge for friendly exchanges between China and Northern Thailand and a proponent of mutually beneficial cooperation. We will continue to promote the “Belt and Road Initiative” and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation in Northern Thailand to drive practical cooperation between China and Northern Thailand to a new level and create more tangible benefits for all.
I sincerely wish the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Thailand a thriving and prosperous future and for our people to be happy and healthy!