Focus on Vanuatu Immigration, focus on Vanuatu Life: On February 15, 2015, Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Xie Bohua and his wife Zhao Yan held a 2015 Spring Festival reception at the Warwick Le Lagon Resort in Port Vila. About 400 people, including overseas Chinese in Vanuatu and representatives of Chinese-funded institutions, gathered together to celebrate the traditional Chinese New Year.
Ambassador Xie first extended New Year's greetings to overseas Chinese and Chinese-funded institutions in Vanuatu on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Vanuatu, wishing everyone a "sheep-like" (joyous) life and "sheep-like" (great) career success in the new year. Ambassador Xie said that 2014 was the first year of China's comprehensive deepening of reform. Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the General Secretary, the anti-corruption struggle has been deepened, the construction of a clean and honest party and government has achieved new results, and the construction of the legal system has taken firm steps. Facing the complex and severe domestic and international situation, the Chinese government has maintained strategic resolve, actively taken actions, adhered to the general tone of "making progress while maintaining stability," and China's economic development has entered a "new normal." China's diplomacy has been active and fruitful; major-country diplomacy, peripheral diplomacy, and home-field diplomacy have frequently exerted efforts; the Chinese government successfully held the APEC Beijing Meeting; and China's initiatives and voice have won wide resonance from the international community.
Ambassador Xie pointed out that China-Vanuatu relations have made new progress in 2014, and cooperation in various fields has achieved major breakthroughs. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Joe Natuman met in Nanjing, China, and Nadi, Fiji, respectively, reaching extensive consensus on the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, achieving fruitful results. Cooperation between the two countries in economic and trade, infrastructure construction, education, defense, marine, environmental protection, and many other fields has made important progress.
Ambassador Xie highly praised the brilliant achievements of overseas Chinese in Vanuatu who have started from scratch and worked hard for more than a hundred years, affirmed that they live in harmony with the local people, actively integrate into the local society, become a bridge for China-Vanuatu exchanges and spreaders of Chinese civilization, and have made contributions to Vanuatu's economic and social development. Ambassador Xie congratulated the newly elected president of the Chinese Association, Liang Daqi, the president of the Port Vila Chinese Association, Zhang Charlie, and the president of the Santo Island Chinese Association, Liang Yuyuan, and hoped that the vast number of overseas Chinese would unite and help each other, actively support and participate in the activities of the Chinese associations, and make the Chinese associations a tie to unite overseas Chinese and a representative for safeguarding the interests of overseas Chinese.
Ambassador Xie finally pointed out that the Year of the Sheep (Yiwei Year) is the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and wished the motherland to be more prosperous in the new year, and the life of overseas Chinese in Vanuatu to be happier and their business to be more prosperous. The Chinese Embassy in Vanuatu will work with the vast number of overseas Chinese and Chinese-funded institutions to work together for the continuous development of China-Vanuatu relations.
Liang Daqi, president of the Vanuatu Chinese Association, and Zhang Charlie, president of the Port Vila Chinese Association, spoke on behalf of the overseas Chinese successively. President Liang Daqi said that he was very happy to see overseas Chinese from different provinces gathering together to celebrate the Spring Festival tonight. Today, we are like a big family. Chairman Zhang Charlie thanked the embassy for its long-term support and help to overseas Chinese in Vanuatu, and expressed that all overseas Chinese in Vanuatu will work together to bless the motherland with peace, stability, and prosperity.
After the Southern Lion dance by the overseas Chinese groups in Vanuatu, overseas Chinese and diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Vanuatu performed literary and artistic programs together. The venue was full of laughter and a harmonious atmosphere. The guests sent New Year greetings to each other and jointly wished the motherland prosperity and the people happiness and well-being.