The following article by Zheng Zeguang, China’s Ambassador to the UK, was originally carried in the special supplement marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which was compiled and edited by Friends of Socialist China and published together with the Morning Star on Saturday, September 28, to coincide with our conference the same day. It is the main body of the speech he delivered at the reception he hosted to mark the anniversary on the evening of September 25.
The Ambassador’s speech was carried in full on the website of the Chinese Embassy, along with a report on the reception. A response to the Ambassador’s speech, on behalf of the British government, was delivered by Catherine West MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The PDF of the full Morning Star supplement may be downloaded here.
Seventy-five years ago, the birth of New China marked the end of more than a century of humiliation for the country, and the beginning of the historic process of China’s rejuvenation.
Over the past 75 years, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese people of all ethnic groups have united as one and worked diligently to achieve two phenomenal miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.
In the new era, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has made historic achievements and gone through unprecedented transformation.
We have built a well-off society, and are working towards a great, modern socialist country in all respects. National rejuvenation is now on an irreversible course.
China’s composite national strength has achieved historic growth. Once a poor country, China is now the world’s second biggest economy, and the biggest manufacturer, biggest trader in goods, and the country with the biggest foreign exchange reserves.
Based on constant prices, China’s GDP in 2023 is 223 times larger than that of 1952. The average annual growth rate has been 7.9%.
China has become a scientific and technological powerhouse, and important advances have been made in the country’s national defence capabilities.
China is home to the world’s biggest middle-income group with the best growth potential. We have put in place the world’s largest medical, educational and social security systems. The quality of people’s lives has seen continuous improvement.
China’s development has been an engine for the global economy. From 1979 to 2023, China’s contribution to global economic growth averaged 24.8% annually, and for the period between 2013 and 2023, the figure was over 30%.
China itself is making remarkable progress in green and low carbon transition and is now the world’s biggest clean energy producer. In the meantime, China’s ‘new three’, namely, new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products are enabling other countries to expedite their transition.
As a developing country itself, China feels the desire of other developing countries for modernisation and is actually facilitating the modernisation of the Global South, through the Belt and Road Initiative and South-South cooperation.
By the end of 2023, the accumulated investment made by China in Belt and Road partner countries reached over two trillion RMB.
Chinese companies have helped to build Latin America’s first ultra-high-voltage transmission line, Africa’s first modern electrified railway, and its first digital mining project, among many other infrastructure and livelihood projects in developing countries.
China’s development has injected positive energy into world peace. Following an independent foreign policy of peace, China has been building friendship and cooperation with all countries on the basis of mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.
Over the past 75 years, China has never initiated any war or conflict and has never occupied an inch of other countries’ territory. We have always worked for peace and dialogue, and the political settlement of international disputes.
China has sent more troops to UN peacekeeping missions than any other permanent members of the Security Council. We are now the second biggest funding contributor to both the UN and its peacekeeping operations.
In the face of increasing volatility and transformation around the world, we call on all countries to work together to build a community with a shared future and call for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation.
We stand ready to work with all parties to earnestly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilisation Initiative, so as to bring about more stability and economic growth to this turbulent world.
As we speak, the Chinese people are going all out to achieve modernisation through our own path. Daunting as our mission may be, we have full confidence in achieving our goals.
In the next five years, we will complete over 300 reforms and further enhance our institutions in different sectors, as set out at the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
With these measures, China’s productivity and social vitality will be further unleashed, the development momentum further reinforced, and new opportunities will be created for China’s cooperation with other countries.
The United Kingdom was among the first major Western countries to recognise New China. And it has been 52 years now since the two countries established full-fledged diplomatic relations.
History has taught us a lot about the relations between these two countries:
–Despite the differences in political system, history and culture, we have a lot in common and extensive shared interests.
–Exchanges and cooperation conform to the common aspiration of our peoples and serve the fundamental interests of both sides.
–With our respective advantages in economy, education and culture, there are great potentials for collaboration.
–We can contribute to the resolution of major international issues by working together, and this is also our responsibility as two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Last month, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Keir Starmer reached important common understanding in their phone call. They agreed that we should uphold mutual respect, enhance engagement, and expand cooperation.
And recently, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Secretary David Lammy met in Laos, Vice Premier He Lifeng and Chancellor Rachel Reeves talked over the phone, and so did our energy ministers. Our two militaries have just conducted their consultations on defence strategies.
Going forward, we should work together to follow up on the understanding between our leaders and build a stable and mutually beneficial relationship.
The development of China-UK relations needs the support of people across different sectors from both countries.
We never forget the “Icebreakers” who opened the doors for trade between China and the UK in the 1950s.
We never forget that generation of statesmen from both countries who made the strategic decision to establish diplomatic relations 52 years ago.
And we never forget all those who have worked tirelessly to help connect our two peoples over the past seven decades.
All of them continue to give inspiration to us today.
I call on all of you to continue to support and take an active part in China-UK relations and make new contributions to the steady development of this relationship.
