Excellencies,
Friends,

It is a great pleasure to join you at Lanting. On this solemn day, we hold this celebration of friendship to honor eight ambassadors who have made important contributions to promoting friendship between China and other countries, and present them with the inaugural Outstanding Diplomat Medals. On behalf of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, I wish to extend warm congratulations and pay high tribute to all the recipients.

As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “A partnership forged with the right approach defies distance.” Diplomatic envoys serve as bridges for friendly exchanges between countries. All the Outstanding Diplomat Medal honorees are our good friends and old friends who have a deep knowledge of China. By making thoughtful arrangements for high-level exchanges and major diplomatic events, you make yourselves builders of bilateral relations. By traveling to different parts of China, both urban and rural, you make yourselves pioneers in understanding China. By actively promoting cultural and personnel exchanges, you make yourselves pacesetters in fostering people-to-people bonds. By facilitating practical cooperation, trade and investment, you make yourselves contributors to mutual benefit. All of you have dedicated immense efforts to the noble cause of deepening friendship and cooperation, and left a distinctive mark in our shared chapters of affinity and understanding. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has established the Outstanding Diplomat Medal specifically to show our appreciation and gratitude. I hope you will carry with you the pleasant memories of China, your second home, and bring the profound friendship of the Chinese people wherever you go.

First Deputy Chair of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Andrey Denisov once said with deep emotion that China is “a country you would never forget once you had the privilege of visiting.” Ambassador of Pakistan to China Khalil Hashmi said that the mountains that connect us are high, but the friendship that binds us is even higher. I invite Your Excellencies and colleagues to come back to China more often and get together with your old friends. You are always welcome in our country.

Each of you has spent some wonderful years of your life in China. I hope those fond memories will remain fresh forever. China is a country that values peace, always meeting its responsibility for world peace and tranquility. China is a country that is open and inclusive, readily sharing its development opportunities with the world. China is a country that acts in good faith, consistently delivering on its commitments despite changing international dynamics. We hope the outstanding diplomats honored today will continue contributing to the friendship between China and the world. Those of you who are incumbent ambassadors can always count on the strong support of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Excellencies,

Friends, 

When tested, heroes show their mettle; through cooperation, the future will get better. China is ready to join hands with all progressive forces to uphold our commitment to peace and development, pursue greater global solidarity, and create a bright future for humanity. Let us carry forward the tradition of friendship, enhance trust and cooperation, and rise above estrangement and conflict. Together, let us build a community with a shared future for humanity and a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for the world.