(September 25, 18:30, MAK Hotel)

Mr. Endrit Yzeiraj, Deputy Minister at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs,
Distinguished guests,
Compatriots,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

Good evening! It is a great pleasure to meet with you all to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Albania, I would like to extend my warm welcome and sincere gratitude to all the friends who have long cared about and supported China’s development and China-Albania friendship, and also, send my greetings to the compatriots who live and work in Albania.

Over the past 76 years, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has guided social transformation with self-reform. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has brought together and led the entire Party to exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance. The Party kicked off its efforts by formulating and implementing the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision on improving conduct and has hammered away at the task of rectifying pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. The Party has waged a battle against corruption on a scale unprecedented in our history and achieved an overwhelming victory. All of the above have provided strong guarantees for historical achievements in the cause of the Party and the state. The CPC has become ever more vigorous through self-reform and is now leading the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Over the past 76 years, China has advanced Chinese modernization with high-quality development. In 2024, China’s GDP rose to 134.9 trillion yuan (about 18.7 trillion US dollars), a year-on-year increase of 5 percent. China remains the world’s second-largest economy. In the first half of this year, the Chinese economy has achieved 5.3 percent growth despite the severe blow to the international economic and trade order. We have accelerated the cultivation of new quality productive forces. The value added of high-tech manufacturing above the designated size grew by 11.8 percent. The total production of new energy vehicles has increased by 36.2 percent. The scale of China’s artificial intelligence industry surpassed 700 billion yuan (about 98.6 billion U.S. dollars). We have expanded high-standard opening-up. China’s imports and exports with more than 190 countries and regions registered growth and the total goods trade hit over 20 trillion yuan (about 3 trillion U.S. dollars), reaching a record high for the same period. It is proven that China’s economy is built on high resilience and enjoys vast potential for growth, with the underlying upward trend unchanged. Embracing China is embracing opportunities, and investing in China is investing in the future.

Over the past 76 years, China has benefited hundreds of millions of people with poverty alleviation. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has embarked on a path of poverty alleviation with Chinese characteristics and achieved final victory in the fight against extreme poverty, eliminating absolute poverty in history for the first time. China has completed the goal of poverty reduction set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years in advance. The livelihood of Chinese people has been improved comprehensively. The average life expectancy in China reached 79 years and the nationwide per capita disposable income of residents was 41,314 yuan (about 5,747 U.S. dollars). China has built the largest education, social security, and healthcare systems in the world and ensured a more complete and lasting sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for the Chinese people.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear friends,

The traditional friendship between China and Albania is deeply rooted in the hearts of our two peoples. More than half a century ago, Albania and Algeria submitted the draft resolution and the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority. China fully restored its lawful seat in the UN. The one-China principle has become a broad consensus in the international community and a universally observed basic norm of international relations. China will always remember Albania’s righteous act at that time.

In recent years, China-Albania relations have maintained sound and stable development. The leaders of the two countries maintain regular exchanges and interactions. Steady progress has been made in the access procedures for Albanian agricultural products to China. And the cooperation on new energy, such as electric vehicles, enjoys broad prospects. The trade between China and Albania reached 69.7 billion lek (approximately 830 million U.S. dollars) from January to July this year, an increase of 18.71 percent. China maintains the second-largest trading partner of Albania. Moreover, the General Administration of Sport of China signed a memorandum of understanding on sports cooperation with the Albanian Olympic Committee this year. Since the signing of the visa exemption agreement and the memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation, the mutual visits between the two countries have increased significantly. In 2024, the number of Chinese tourists to Albania exceeded 26,000, a year-on-year increase of 107 percent. 

Albania is currently at a critical stage of its national development. Prime Minister Rama presented the government program to the Parliament. Aiming to achieve Albania’s EU accession by 2030, the program focuses on three main pillars: European Albania, Sustainable Economic Growth, and Well-being for All. The program outlines nearly 300 our-work-aheads for the new government, demonstrating a bright vision for Albania. The Chinese Embassy stands ready to take this opportunity to maintain close contact with all sectors of Albania, strengthen exchanges between the two countries at all levels, deepen practical cooperation between China and Albania within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Central and Eastern European Countries Cooperation, continue to expand people-to-people exchanges, support Albania’s economic and social development, and ensure the continued development of China-Albania friendship in the new era.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear friends,

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. China held grand commemorative events and military parade to remember history, honor fallen heroes, cherish peace, and create a better future. Currently, the world is undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century, with frequent regional turbulence, impeded economic development and intensifying deficit in governance. Bearing in mind the future and destiny of humanity, President Xi Jinping puts forward the Global Governance Initiative and calls on the international community to adhere to sovereign equality, abide by international rule of law, practice multilateralism, advocate the people-centered approach, and focus on taking real actions, which sheds lights on the principles, methods and pathways that need to be followed to reform and improve global governance. The essence and substance of the Global Governance Initiative are in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, contributing China’s wisdom and presenting China’s solution to improving global governance. Upholding the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, China will strengthen coordination and communication with countries around the world, including Albania, to jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, so as to build a more equitable and rational global governance system and advance toward a community with a shared future for humanity.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear colleagues and friends,

Now, may I propose a toast

To the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China,

To the enduring friendship between China and Albania,

To the good health and happiness of all guests.

Cheers!