（September 17, 2025, Chicago History Museum）

Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen, 
Dear friends,

Good evening! 

Tonight, we gather here to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. On behalf of the Consulate General of China in Chicago, I warmly welcome all friends present, and express sincere gratitude to all those who have long cared about and supported China’s reforms, opening-up and development, and promoted China–U.S. friendship.

After 76 years of weathering storms and hardships, China’s commitment to national construction and development remains unwavering. Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese nation has achieved a great leap from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, writing a magnificent chapter of rapid economic development and long-term social stability in the new era. At present, the CPC has more than 100 million members and is the largest political party in the world. Thirteen years ago, the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core puts forward the Eight-Point Decision, to urge all officials to improve their ways of doing things and maintain close ties with the people, advanced full and strict governance over the Party, and opened up a new realm of the Party’s self-reform in the new era. All these efforts aim to continuously enhance the ability to govern the country, and better shoulder the important responsibility of leading China’s development. In recent years, polls conducted by multiple U.S. institutions such as Harvard University, Pew Research Center, and Edelman have shown that the satisfaction rate of the Chinese people with the Party and the government has remained consistently above 90%. Today, the close ties between the Party and the people in China have become even more inseparable, which provides a strong guarantee for advancing the great cause of building a great country, and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

Today’s China boasts a more resilient economy, a more solid foundation for development, and stronger drivers of growth. This year marks the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC to be held next month will deliberate on and formulate the proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan. Since the beginning of this year, in the face of the counter-current of “de-globalization” and the ambush of tariff and trade wars, the Chinese government has implemented a more proactive and impactful macro policy. In the first half of the year, China’s GDP grew by 5.3% year-on-year, with major economic indicators continuing to show positive momentum. Emerging industries such as 5G, AI, new energy, high-end equipment, and biotechnology have become strong “growth engines”. Notable achievements have been made in the green and low-carbon transition, and the development of new quality productive forces has been accelerated. All these have injected vigorous impetus into high-quality development, and driven the steady growth of China’s comprehensive national strength. As the world’s second-largest consumer market and import market, China’s total goods imports and exports reached 3 trillion US dollars in the first half of the year. With a higher level of opening-up and a more optimized business environment, China has provided broader space for enterprises from around the world to develop, and added invaluable stability and key driving force into the global economic recovery.

After 76 years of resolutely fulfilling its mission, China’s role in global governance has become increasingly prominent. At present, the deficits in peace and development are intertwined, while unilateralism, protectionism, hegemonism and bullying practices are prevalent, which makes improving global governance imperative. Recently, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization+” Tianjin Summit, focusing on five core principles: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, people-centered approach, and real results. Following the Three Global Initiatives respectively on development, security and civilization, this is another important global public good that President Xi has contributed to the world, gaining broad international support. To reform and improve global governance does not mean to overturn the existing international order, to create another framework outside the current international system, or to replace and unseat anyone. Rather, the goal is to make the existing international system and international institutions better at taking actions, working effectively, adapting to changes, responding promptly and effectively to various global challenges, and serving the interests of all countries. This will open up broader prospects for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Poverty is closely linked to the global development deficit, and also a key issue that cannot be avoided in improving global governance. Over more than four decades of reform and opening up, 850 million people in China have been successfully lifted out of poverty. China achieved the poverty reduction target of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, and the number of people lifted out of poverty in China accounted for more than 70% of the global total during the same period, making a major contribution to the development of the global poverty reduction cause, and the progress of human development. Particularly, during the eight-year fight against poverty from 2012 to 2020, in the face of the toughest problems, President Xi devoted the biggest part of his personal effort to this cause. At the centenary of the founding of the CPC in 2021, China has secured a comprehensive victory in the fight against poverty. Nearly 100 million most poverty-stricken people in rural areas who were living below the current poverty threshold all shook off poverty, historically eliminating extreme poverty for the first time, and making a key contribution toward the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in China. Under the new circumstances, China is willing to strengthen cooperation with all countries in the world, including the U.S., and make unremitting efforts to advance the international poverty reduction process.

After 76 years of standing together through thick and thin, the historical logic of peaceful coexistence between China and the U.S. remains unchanged. As the largest developing and developed countries, the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations is not only vital to the fundamental interests of both countries, but also a shared expectation of the international community. Since the beginning of this year, President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump have maintained frequent communication via calls and letters, providing the most-valued strategic guidance to the China–U.S. relations. In recent days, the foreign and defense ministers of China and the U.S. held separate phone and video calls, and the high-level economic and trade teams held the fourth round of consultations. These efforts have produced positive results and injected fresh momentum into the improvement of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. Facts have repeatedly shown that the two countries share extensive common interests and enjoy broad space for collaboration. The two countries are fully capable of becoming partners that support each other’s success and achieve mutual prosperity, rather than adversaries trapped in a zero-sum game where one side thrives at the other’s expense. 

We are also soberly aware that the bilateral relationship still faces numerous complex challenges. Decoupling and supply chain disruption cause severe damage, trade and tariff wars harm others without benefiting oneself, and suppressing the exchange of international students carries long-term risks. Given the new situation, it is hoped that the U.S. side will work more closely with the Chinese side in the same direction, earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. It is essential to jointly uphold mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, while fostering a correct perception of each other’s strategic intention and respecting each other’s core interests and major concerns, especially properly handling major sensitive issues such as Taiwan question. Differences should be properly managed through dialogue and consultation on an equal footing, and practical cooperation should be steadily advanced. In this way, we can ensure that we navigate the giant ship of China-U.S. relations through storms and waves without getting disoriented, losing speed or even having a collision, so as to deliver benefits to both countries and contribute to peace and prosperity in the whole world.

After 76 years of passing on the torch, the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples continues to endure and thrive. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years ago, China and the U.S., along with other Allied nations, fought side by side and faced life and death together. The “Flying Tigers” from the U.S. not only directly participated in the battles in China, but also established “The Hump” airlift to transport much-needed supplies to China; Ms. Vautrin from Illinois protected thousands of civilians during the Nanjing Massacre; journalist Edgar Snow from Missouri reported from the front lines, publicizing China’s resistance efforts. The friendship forged in wartime is not only a invaluable part of China–U.S. history, but also offers profound inspirations for today. 

As President Xi emphasized at the Victory Commemoration,  only when all countries and nations treat each other as equals, coexist in peace and support each other, can we uphold common security, eradicate the root cause of war, and prevent the recurrence of historical tragedies. Facing global challenges, China and the U.S. will work together to continue upholding the spirit of people-to-people friendship, maintain sub-national exchanges and cultural ties, strengthen economic and educational cooperation, so that we can cultivate a solid foundation of public support for our bilateral relations. 

Dear friends, 

China’s development has never been in isolation, it is a magnificent journey of common progress with the world. We have always been builders of world peace, contributors to global development, and defenders of the international order. In the world, China’s doors remain wide open to the world. Tonight, my colleagues and I, together with all distinguished guests, celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with great pride, and we also feel a heavy sense of mission on our shoulders. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of our Consulate General in Chicago. Over the past 40 years, this Consulate and all sectors in our consular district have stood together as always, working hand in hand to achieve substantial progress in exchanges and cooperation between China and the U.S. Midwest. Looking to the future, we are ready to continue forging ahead with all walks of life in the region, for the purpose of securing even more fruitful outcomes across various fields in the next 40 years and beyond!

Finally, I propose a toast,

To the bright future of China–U.S. relations, 

To the enduring friendship of the Chinese and American peoples, 

For the health, happiness, and well-being of all friends present,

Cheers!