January 24, 2025

Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

Good evening! As the Lunar Year of the Snake is just five days away, I’d like to extend a big welcome to all of you to our Embassy to usher in the Spring Festival together. At today’s event, we are celebrating three joyous occasions at the same time:

First, we will soon ring in the first “UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage version” Chinese New Year. Last month, the Chinese people received a special New Year gift in advance: “Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year” was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The festival is a happy time for getting together with loved ones and praying for a good year ahead, and embodies common values such as amity among people and harmony between man and nature. 

As the tradition goes global, the world is also embracing it with open arms. The joy of the Spring Festival is now being felt all across the global village, building bridges for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and making the garden of world civilizations even more colorful.

Second, this will also be the first Chinese New Year we celebrate together with Bao Li and Qing Bao. This morning, the new panda pair made their official debut at the National Zoo. Just now, we enjoyed the Panda Fun Fest and watched a themed video of pandas. I believe all of you have fallen in love with the two cute bears. It is my hope that with this latest round of cooperation on panda conservation, our two countries can make greater contributions to global biodiversity protection, and write a new chapter in promoting harmony between man and nature. I also believe these fluffy icons of China and envoys of friendship will bring joy to more American kids and draw our two peoples closer.

Third, we are witnessing the China-U.S. relationship setting out again. Last Friday, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with President Donald Trump, and the two leaders reached important common understandings on enhancing communication and cooperation in various fields and stabilizing and developing China-U.S. relations. This has charted the course for a smooth start and the overall stability of China-U.S. relations. On Monday, President Xi’s Special Representative Vice President Han Zheng attended President Trump’s Inauguration Ceremony upon invitation.   

As ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius said, “It is much more joyful to share happiness than enjoy it alone.” Today, we are coming together to celebrate the Spring Festival, the arrival of the new panda pair and the new journey of China-U.S. relations. Underlying this are millennia-old Chinese values, such as harmony and goodwill toward others. Over the years, China’s proposals, including the common values of humanity, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, have taken deep roots in the hearts of people around the world. All these have again proven that China stands as a force for peace, openness and stability.

In the past year, we held the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, sending out a strong signal of China’s determination to carry reform through. The Chinese economy has rebounded and is on an upward trajectory, with the GDP growing 5% year-on-year. We have also taken new solid steps in the pursuit of Chinese modernization. 

Going forward, we will stay committed to reform and opening-up, and work with all countries to promote friendship and cooperation, enhance mutual learning among different cultures, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We will keep injecting fresh momentum into the global economy with our development, and stability into the world with our certainty.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression, and also the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, in the flames of World War II, China and the United States fought side by side to triumph over fascism, and our two peoples forged a profound friendship amid the trials of blood and fire. Over the past eight decades, with the joint efforts of China, the United States and other members of the international community to uphold the post-war international order, we have managed to maintain the overall peace of the world, and delivered unprecedented development dividends to all countries. 

Today, the China-U.S. relationship holds a global significance like never before, and we need all the more to show the courage to fight for peace and join hands to live up to our common responsibility. Advancing the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations is the most responsible choice we can make for world peace and development, and also the best way to commemorate history.

For a stable China-U.S. relationship, it is important to strictly hold on to the baselines. At the end of last year, President Jimmy Carter left us at the age of 100. As a promoter and decision-maker in the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, he advanced the normalization of bilateral relations even in the shadow of the Cold War. Let’s take this opportunity to pay tribute to President Carter again!

Today, we still need such courage and vision to seek common ground and reserve differences. We should not allow disagreements to dominate or disrupt our bilateral relations. In particular, we should respect each other’s core interests and major concerns.

The Taiwan question is the question most likely to have a disruptive impact on China-U.S. relations. To maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it is vital to abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques, and unequivocally oppose “Taiwan independence”. Our bilateral economic ties are essentially mutually beneficial and win-win. Tariff war, trade war, industrial war or tech war would produce no winner.

For a healthy China-U.S. relationship, it is important to keep dialogue and cooperation going. China and the United States are permanent members of the UN Security Council and the world’s two largest economies. Turning our back on each other is not an option. Confrontation and conflict would be a disaster. From areas such as economy and trade, agriculture, counternarcotics, law enforcement and people-to-people exchanges, to international and regional hotspot issues and global challenges, China and the United States have extensive common interests and vast room for cooperation. 

Last year, two-way trade between our two countries grew 3.7% against all odds. The US business delegation to the seventh China International Import Expo was among the largest. Over 1,300 Chinese enterprises participated in the International Consumer Electronics Show in the United States. And Tesla saw its annual sales in China hitting a record high.

All these have fully demonstrated that, the fact that our interests are deeply intertwined has not changed, and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation is what our people truly want. It is hoped that the U.S. side will work with China in the same direction to remove obstacles to economic exchanges, keep making the pie of cooperation bigger, and get more concrete, great things done, for the good of both our countries and the world.

For a sustainable China-U.S. relationship, it is important to establish a correct strategic perception. Last year, the American strategic community had a debate on an “endgame with China”. Worried that “political correctness” may give rise to “hawkflation”, people with vision are calling for avoiding a “prisoner’s dilemma”, convinced that China and America are compelled to work together if there is going to be a stable 21st century.

In recent days, the Chinese and American people are launching a big cyber party on social media. They happily exchanged memes, paid the “cat tax” (by sharing photos of their cats), and learned how to make a Tanghulu (or candied haw). With mutual respect, open mind and goodwill, our people have gone beyond geographical divides and differences in language and culture. Many Chinese netizens posted English letters they wrote during student days in the name of “Li Hua” to an imaginary American pen pal, while American friends told their stories of trying to dig a hole to China when they were little.

All these have vividly shown how eager our people are to reach out to each other. Both our peoples are great peoples, and both our great countries are pursuing our own dreams. We should and can become partners and friends, contribute to each other’s success, and advance shared prosperity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

As a Chinese poem reads, “With the flourishing of plum blossoms arrives spring for all living things.” The Year of the Snake is just around the corner. The Spring Festival marks a new start, coming with new hope. In Chinese culture, snake symbolizes renewal, agility and wisdom. In today’s world, we exactly need the snake’s pragmatism, flexibility and vigor. Let’s together set out on a new journey, scale new heights, and secure greater progress in China-U.S. relations from a new starting point.

May I now propose a toast,

To the peace and prosperity of both China and the United States,

To a more fruitful and sustainable China-U.S. relationship,

And to a successful and auspicious year for all friends here,

Cheers!