Focus on Antigua and Barbuda Immigration, close to local life:
Honorable Governor General Sir Rodney Williams,
Honorable Prime Minister Gaston Browne,
Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives Sir Gerald Watt,
Dear compatriots and representatives of Chinese institutions,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
Good afternoon!
Today we gather here to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Horse. First, allow me to extend festive greetings and best wishes for the New Year on behalf of the Chinese government and all my colleagues at the embassy to the overseas Chinese and representatives of Chinese engineering management and technical personnel present here, and through you to all descendants of Yan and Huang in Antigua and Barbuda! Thank you for your contributions to the development of China-Antigua relations over the past year.
This is my first Lunar New Year as Ambassador in Antigua and Barbuda. Looking back at the recently concluded Year of the Snake and looking forward to the upcoming Year of the Horse, three characters of YUAN come to my mind. The first is the character for fate (缘), as we come from various parts of our motherland but meet in the distant Caribbean, this is our fate; the second is the character for reunion (圆), at this moment, across the ocean, our motherland is adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, preparing to celebrate the New Year joyfully, and here on this side of the earth, we also gather together to celebrate the festival that belongs to all Chinese people, this is a reunion in a foreign land; the third is the character for fulfilling dreams (圆), the past year of 2013 was a year for the Chinese people to fulfill their dreams, with the Chinese economy maintaining rapid development, GDP growing at a high rate of 7.7%, and the living standards of the people steadily improving, further enhancing our comprehensive national strength. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee was successfully convened, making overall arrangements for reform and development in the new era, which international media have called "the boldest reforms in China in decades," reflecting China's determination and confidence to adhere to reform, achieve sustained prosperity, and promote world peace and stability in cooperation with people from all countries. On December 14, China's lunar exploration spacecraft successfully landed on the moon, showcasing a more confident China on the world stage. Fellow compatriots, our motherland is our mother and our backbone; let us work together in the new year for the prosperity of our country and the continued friendship between China and Antigua and Barbuda!
Fellow compatriots, friends,
In the past year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Gaston Browne successfully met in Trinidad and Tobago, and Governor General Sir Rodney Williams made a successful visit to China, leading to significant development in the relations between our two countries, with further strengthening of cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral fields.
The solid friendship between China and Antigua is not only built on intergovernmental cooperation but also on the exchanges between our peoples. Over the past year, the lives of overseas Chinese have flourished thanks to your hard work. During the 2013 Carnival, everyone worked together to organize a float parade themed "Chinese Dream, Antigua Dream, Human Dream," which attracted widespread attention locally and received praise from all sectors in Antigua and Barbuda. On September 29, the Antigua and Barbuda Chinese Association was officially established, giving overseas Chinese in Antigua their own organization for the first time. I hope everyone will unite and help each other, treating the association as a family, making businesses more prosperous and lives better! At the same time, I look forward to your playing an even more important bridging role in promoting the economic and social development of Antigua and Barbuda and maintaining the friendship between our peoples.
In 2013, engineering and technical personnel from Chinese companies, represented by the China Road and Bridge Corporation project team and the Beijing Construction Engineering Group project team, continued to work hard in Antigua and Barbuda. You left your families to come to Antigua, overcoming various difficulties, withstanding pressure, and bravely taking on responsibilities, successfully completing the tasks entrusted to you by our motherland and people, providing strong support for the development of friendly cooperation between our two countries. Here, on behalf of the Chinese government and the embassy, I extend my sincere gratitude and best wishes to all engineering and technical personnel working on China-Antigua cooperation projects.
Fellow compatriots, friends,
The horse symbolizes "success" in Chinese. President Xi Jinping said in his New Year message: "Life is always full of hope, and success always belongs to those who are proactive and relentlessly pursue their goals." Thanks to the hard work and continuous contributions of everyone present, I firmly believe that in the new year, cooperation between China and Antigua will further develop, the friendship between China and Antigua will be passed down, and the relationship between our two countries will surely ride the winds and waves to achieve new brilliance!
The Chinese embassy will continue to uphold the principle of "diplomacy for the people," serving you more and doing practical work. You are welcome to visit the embassy often! I wish you all good health, smooth work, and success in the new year!
Finally, I propose a toast,
To the prosperity of China and Antigua,
To the lasting friendship between our two peoples,
To celebrate the New Year,
Cheers!