Tonight, we gather here with great joy to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. First of all, I would like to extend my warm welcome to H.E. Chairman Gilani and all distinguished guests. Also, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to friends from all sectors who have long cared about and supported China’s development and actively promoted China-Pakistan friendly cooperation!

Over the past 76 years, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has united and led the people of all ethnic groups across the country on a magnificent journey from “lagging behind the times” to “catching up with the times” and further to “leading the times”. Particularly since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, President Xi Jinping has steered the course with a great historical initiative, profound people-centered compassion, and a strong sense of mission and responsibility. He has led the Party, the military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country in writing a new chapter of the two great miracles with rapid economic development and long-term social stability, propelling the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into an irreversible historical process.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China’s total economic output has consecutively exceeded the thresholds of RMB110 trillion yuan, RMB120 trillion yuan, and RMB130 trillion yuan, and is expected to cross the threshold of RMB140 trillion yuan this year, maintaining an annual economic growth rate of around 5.5 percent.

While achieving sustained and rapid economic growth, we have adhered to a people-centered approach and enhanced people’s well-being. Take the follow-up of China’s comprehensive poverty alleviation as an example: after winning a complete victory in the battle against poverty, China set a five-year transitional period to consolidate and expand the achievements and integrate this effort with the advancement of comprehensive rural revitalization. The basic medical insurance coverage rate for the population lifted out of poverty has remained stable at over 99 percent. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the industries that leverage local strengths in poverty-alleviated rural areas have continued to grow, with a total output value exceeding RMB1.7 trillion yuan. The scale of employment of the population lifted out of poverty has remained stable at over 30 million for 4 consecutive years. China’s great achievements and its unremitting efforts in poverty alleviation fully embody the practice of the people-centered philosophy of development, and have also explored feasible paths and made great contributions to the global cause of poverty alleviation.

While advancing our own development, we have boosted the recovery of the world economy by expanding high-level opening up. China has contributed around 30 percent to global economic growth for many years. In 2024, China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) increased by 8.4 percent year on year, ranking among the top three globally for 13 consecutive years. China has remained the world’s largest manufacturing country for 15 consecutive years, with the output of more than 220 key industrial products leading the world. The annual production and sales of China’s new energy vehicles have exceeded 10 million units, topping the global list for 10 consecutive years. China has remained the world’s largest industrial robot market for 12 consecutive years, and China-developed AI DeepSeek has gained global popularity.

The key reason why the CPC has been able to lead the people to achieve one victory after another lies in upholding the overall leadership of the Party and its unwavering commitment to exercising full and strict governance over the Party. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party has taken the formulation and implementation of the Eight-point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct as a starting point, resolutely corrected the Four Malfeasance, referring to favoring form over substance, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance with the spirit of perseverance, and firmly addressed corruption and unwholesome tendencies that harm the people’s interests. As a result, the Party conduct, government working style, and social ethos have taken on a new look, and the Party, the military, and the people have been highly united. This has provided a solid guarantee for advancing the cause of building a great country and moving toward great national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

President Asif Ali Zardari visited the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai on September 15. Just as he said during the visit, the landmark journey of the CPC began here 104 years ago. The CPC has played a historical role in the liberation and rise of China on the globe as a major global power. Thanks to the great leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has become a major global economic power, and the friendship between China and Pakistan has developed at a great speed.

At present, the international landscape is evolving at an accelerated pace, and global challenges are emerging one after another. China has bravely shouldered its great responsibilities and adhered to the right path: it has rallied consensus on cooperation through hosting diplomatic events, conveyed the belief in peace through historical commemorations, and addressed global challenges with practical initiatives.

From August 31 to September 1, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit was successfully held. President Xi Jinping gathered by the Haihe River with more than 30 foreign leaders and heads of international organizations, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This summit featured distinct characteristics and remarkable highlights. It has formulated a 10-year development strategy for the SCO, defended the achievements of the victory in World War II, supported the multilateral trading system, advanced the implementation of the SCO’s “Four Security Centers”, and so on, driving the SCO giant ship to set sail again from Tianjin and embark on a new voyage. During the summit, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative (GGI). Following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), the GGI is another important public good provided by China to the international community. It has injected strong impetus into promoting the building of a more just and equitable global governance system and advancing toward a community with a shared future for humanity, fully demonstrating President Xi Jinping’s broad vision for the world to strive for human progress and global harmony.

Following the SCO Tianjin Summit, on September 3, a grand Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held in Beijing. This was a solemn, grand, heart-stirring and inspiring gathering to commemorate the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It further promoted the great spirit of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, further strengthened the belief and confidence in comprehensively promoting the development of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation, and further demonstrated the responsibility and commitment to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

As President Xi Jinping pointed out in his important speech at the commemoration, the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War. With huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people made major contributions to saving human civilization and safeguarding world peace. The Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history and the progress of human civilization. We will remain committed to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with all peoples around the world in building a community with a shared future for humanity. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is irresistible. The noble cause of peace and development of humanity will prevail.

China-Pakistan relations have a long and profound history. As President Xi Jinping noted, China and Pakistan share a resilient bond, a brotherly bond, and also a bond built on trust and common values—an ironclad friendship that was forged through historical twists and turns and has grown ever stronger over time. High-level exchanges between our two countries have been frequent. President Zardari has just made another successful trip to China, following his state visit in February, and Prime Minister Shehbaz travelled to China at the end of August to attend two major events, during which the two countries released the Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era.

At present, as the world undergoes profound changes unseen in a century at an accelerated pace, a strong China-Pakistan relationship is not only conducive to safeguarding the common interests of the two countries, but also to safeguarding peace and development in the region and even the world. Standing at a new historical starting point, we are ready to work with Pakistan to further deepen the iron-clad friendship and all-round cooperation between the two countries:

First, we shall uphold high-level mutual trust and firm support, take the lead in the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future. We will implement the important common understandings reached by President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders, and steadily advance the 63 measures in 7 major fields outlined in the Action Plan.

Second, we shall focus on development and win-win cooperation, and walk hand in hand on the path of modernization. We will fully leverage the comprehensive effects of the upgraded version 2.0 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), focus on the three key areas including industries, agriculture and mining, upgrade the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, and promote more high-quality products from Pakistan to be exported to China.

Third, we shall follow the people-centered approach, prioritize people’s livelihood, and jointly enhance the well-being of the people of both countries. We will implement more “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, strengthen cooperation in healthcare, education, and climate change response, and expand youth and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Fourth, we shall safeguard safety and security, and jointly defend the regional peace and stability. We will deepen counter-terrorism and security cooperation. China will support Pakistan’s efforts in enhancing its counter-terrorism capacity building, creating a favorable environment for both Pakistan’s development and China-Pakistan cooperation.

Fifth, we shall take on our responsibilities and cooperate closely, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. We will firmly uphold the authority of the United Nations and the victory of World War II, practice true multilateralism, and safeguard the common interests of the Global South.

In short, we are ready to work with Pakistan to accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so as to better benefit the peoples of both countries, set an example for building a community with a shared future with China’s neighboring countries, and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.