Respected Honorable Speaker,
Honorable Ministers and MPs,
Colleagues from the diplomatic corps,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. First of all, please allow me to express my heart-felt thanks to all friends present here tonight for coming to this reception. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my cordial greetings and best wishes to the friendly PNG Government, its people and the Chinese citizens and our compatriots in PNG.

I am greatly honored to be appointed the new Chinese Ambassador to PNG. As soon as I stepped on the soil of this beautiful tropical country, I have been immersed in the profound friendship extended to me by the people, government officials, parliamentarians as well as my colleagues of the diplomatic corps. It testifies the Chinese saying that "We have friends all over the world."

China attaches great importance to developing friendly relations and cooperation with PNG. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1976, the overall relations between China and PNG have developed rapidly. There are frequent exchanges of visits by our government leaders. Our bilateral cooperation in the fields of the economy, trade, fishery, health, culture has been expanded enormously. PNG has become China's largest trading partner among the South Pacific Island nations. Since 2000, the volume of our bilateral trade has maintained at the level of US$ 200 million annually. And the trade balance is in PNG's favour.

At the same time, China has within its ability provided PNG with economic and technical assistance. According to our statistics, China's total economic aid in the past years amounts to 290 million Kina. We are very pleased to see that our assistance has benefited the local people and contributed to the economic development and social progress in PNG.  

China and PNG are both developing countries. We are both focusing on the development of the national economy and the improvement of the people's living standards. China enjoys social stability and rapid economic development. China's GDP last year reached US$ 1.3 trillion, and the total volume of imports and exports exceeded US$ 600 billion. PNG is blessed with abundant petroleum, natural gas, timber and other natural resources. The economies of our two countries are very much complementary. We can work closely together to further explore the potentials of our economic and trade cooperation.

China is a peace-loving country, and pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. The objective of our foreign policy is to maintain world peace and promote common development. China and PNG are both members of the United Nations and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)and other international and regional organizations. We share same or similar views on many international and regional issues. Both our countries are committed to safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity and maintaining peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. We both stand for a fair and just international political and economic order. To strengthen our cooperation in international and regional affairs accords to the fundamental interest of both our two peoples.

To realize the early reunification of Taiwan with the mainland part of China is the common aspiration of all the Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan. We will firmly implement the fundamental policy of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems". We will make all our efforts for the prospect of peaceful reunification. We appreciate very much the understanding and support given to us on the Taiwan issue by the world community, in particular the people and government of PNG. We hope that the PNG government will continue to adhere to its one China policy.

As the new Chinese Ambassador, I am fully aware of the heavy responsibility of my mission. I will do my very best to promote the friendship and cooperation between our two peoples and two countries. I am confident that with the support of the government, the people and all the friends here I can successfully fulfill my lofty mission.

Finally, may I propose a toast:

To the prosperity and happiness of the PNG people!
To the friendship and cooperation between China and PNG!
To the health of every friend present here!

Thank you!