Ambassador hails Chinese achievements on 40th anniversary of Shanghai’s reform and opening-up

Sri Lanka is among the countries that would best understand the importance of upholding the free trade system indelibly liked to trade liberalisation, globalisation to foster growth and development, noted Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan recently.  

Given below is the full text by Chinese Ambassador Xueyuan at the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of Shanghai’s reform and opening-up

For the past four decades, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, our nation has remained independent, relied on its own efforts, upheld the principles of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and accomplished remarkable achievements. 

Chairperson of the Standing Committee of Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress Yin Yicui, Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It is a great pleasure for me to attend the opening ceremony of this great photo exhibition. 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up and special historic year always offers us the wisdom and power to move forward. In the Chinese culture, there is a belief that people at the age of 40 could tell right from wrong without any puzzle. As for the 40-year great journey of China’s reform and opening-up, it solves the puzzle of how to lift a nation with one billion population from the state of poverty and blankness to prosperity and strength. 

For the past four decades, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, our nation has remained independent, relied on its own efforts, upheld the principles of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and accomplished remarkable achievements. 

China’s GDP has increased from 360 billion yuan to 82.7 trillion yuan, growing at an annual average rate of 9.5%; around 700 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty, accounting for more than 70% of the global total over the same period. 

Today, China has become the world’s second largest economy, largest industrial country and largest trader of goods with the largest foreign exchange reserves. We have successfully opened up a socialist development path with Chinese characteristics and have gained confidence in our path, guiding theories, political system and culture.

After listening to the introduction to Shanghai’s experience in reform and opening-up by Yin Yicui, I feel deeply proud. Shanghai is the model and pioneer of China’s reform and opening-up, and its brilliant achievements are the epitome of the tremendous achievements of China’s reform and opening-up. 

As the economic and financial centre of their respective country and sister city of each other, Shanghai and Colombo have lots to learn from each other in metropolitan development and governance. I believe that Rosy would approve and support related communication activities. Also, I look forward to visiting today’s exhibition to witness and share the achievements of Shanghai during the 40 years of reform and opening-up with all the guests. 

More importantly, I hope all of us here could think about this question: in the current international situation with rising protectionism and unilateralism, should we continue to deepen reform and open wider to the outside world? Where are China and Sri Lanka heading?

Located at the crossroad of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has acted as a regional trade centre since ancient times, and just like China, Sri Lanka has benefited a lot from WTO and global trade rules. No other country could better understand the importance of upholding the free trade system than Sri Lanka. Trade liberalisation and economic globalisation will build Sri Lanka as a gem on the Indian Ocean; on the contrary, without them, Sri Lanka may only become a lonely island in the vast Indian Ocean.

Devoted to upholding the global trade system based on international rules, China acts as a strong force in advocating economic globalisation and trade liberalisation and takes a firm position against protectionism and unilateralism. 

President Xi Jinping has stressed for many times that countries all over the world should sail on the same track to achieve win-win cooperation, build an open world economy, uphold the multilateral trade system and promote more open, inclusive, balanced economic globalisation which is beneficial for all. 

China sticks to its basic state policy of opening-up and its door of opening-up will not be closed and will only open even wider. This is the experience gained by the Chinese people from the 40 years of reform and opening-up, and also the strategic choice by the CPC and the Chinese Government facing the current international situation.

Ladies and gentlemen, to honour the promise of the CPC and the Chinese Government to the whole world, in November this year, China will hold the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. This is a major policy measure of China to further open its market to the world. CIIE will provide new opportunities for export, build new platforms for countries to share the dividends of China’s development and inject new vitality to world economic growth. 

China welcomes Sri Lankan friends from all walks of life, including friends from Colombo, to attend this expo and promote Sri Lanka’s black tea, rubber, gems, textiles, spices and other featured products to the 1.3 billion Chinese people, bringing more fruitful results to the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka.

To conclude, I wish this exhibition a great success, wish Shanghai and Colombo prosperity and development, and wish China-Sri Lanka friendship lasts forever!

Thank you!