Your Excellency Mr. President Gjorge Ivanov,

Your Excellency Mr. President of the Assembly Trajko Veljanoski,

Your Excellency Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Poposki,

Distinguished guests, my dear Chinese fellow citizens,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening! It gives me great pleasure to join you on this very special occasion to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China. First of all, allow me to extend the warmest welcome to all of you. Especially I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the presence of H. E. Mr. Gjorge Ivanov, President of the Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Mr. Trajko Veljanoski, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, and H.E. Mr. Nikola Poposki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, which is a great honor for us indeed.

Since the foundation of the People's Republic of China on 1st October 1949, especially over the past 36 years of reform and opening-up, China has made truly remarkable achievements in the economic and social aspects that attracted the world's attention. Currently, China has become the world's largest trading nation, the second largest economy and the third largest investor in foreign countries. From 1978 to 2013, China's GDP (Gross Domestic Production) has made a staggering 155-fold increase. With that, China grew from a poor and weak agricultural country into the biggest industrial manufacturing nation of the world. Last November, the Chinese Communist Party held its Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee. Ever since then, China has further deepened reforms and expanded opening-up, vigorously building an upgraded version of economic transformation. China's GDP increased 7.4% in the first half of 2014 than the same period of last year. From January to August, over 10 million urban jobs were created. The economy is in general growing steadily, with improving quality and stability.

The international situation is currently undergoing profound and complex changes. This world does not seem so peaceful. Yet we strive to combine the "China Dream" of pursuing a great renaissance of the Chinese Nation with the "World Dream" of maintaining the world peace. In persistent pursuit of a path of peaceful development, making efforts to build international relations of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, we are now working on grand cooperative designs such as "The Silk Road Economic Belt" and "the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road". China will always be an indispensable driving force for the development of the global economy, as well as for the world's peace and stability.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Just four months ago, I was appointed as Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia. Although this was my first travel to this beautiful country, I did not even feel as a stranger here, because the people of Macedonia are as friendly and industrious as the Chinese people. From now and then, I have been deeply impressed by the friendship between the two countries, and wherever I go, I could see the innumerable great achievements of Macedonia-China cooperation.

I am pleased to see that the bilateral ties between Macedonia and China are now at their best in history. This fact is shown in the following aspects: Firstly, the two countries have maintained close high-level contacts. Last October, His Excellency President Ivanov visited China. He attended the reception of celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations of the two countries in Beijing, and then had a fruitful talk with President Xi Jinping. And in November, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held a bilateral talk with Prime Minister Gruevski in Bucharest on the sidelines of the meetings of Heads of Government of China and Eastern and Central European countries. Just after a new government was established, Prime Minister Gruevski made a working visit to Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Special Administration Region this July. This year, the delegations of the International Department of the Central Committee of CPC, Ministry of Public Security, Sichuan Province and the Chinese People's Liberation Army paid visits to Macedonia. The two sides have reached consensus on how to further enhance friendly and cooperative relationship in all fields of mutual interests.

Secondly, the economic and trade cooperation keeps growing. China is Macedonia's seventh largest trade partner on the globe, and the first in Asia. The Export-Import Bank of China granted a preferential loan worth 579 million euros to Macedonia. With the help of that, the Chinese company SinoHydro has started the construction of the 110 km motorways of Miladinovic-Shtip and Kicevo-Ohrid. China South Locomotive and Macedonian National Railway Company signed 6 motor train units, with a worth about 25 million euros, purchases and sales contract. Weibo Group, a China-Turkey joint venture based in Guangzhou plans to invest 400 million euros in Rankovce Industrial Development zone in the North Eastern Macedonia. This project may create over 5000 jobs for the local municipality.

Thirdly, China and Macedonia have intensified cultural and educational exchanges. Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has signed a cooperation memorandum to establish a joint center of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Over 100 musicians of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra presented a successful performance at the closing ceremony of the Ohrid Summer Festival this year. The Confucius Institute in the State University in Skopje has just celebrated the first anniversary of its establishment. More and more people in Macedonia are attracted to the Chinese language and culture. On 1st of September, the newly constructed Rajko Zinzifov Primary School in Kisela Voda Municipality, financed by the donation of the Chinese government, held an opening ceremony. Around one thousand students happily begin their studies in the new teaching building which stands as a symbol of Chinese-Macedonian friendship.

As Ambassador, I am truly gratified to witness all aforementioned remarkable progress of friendly bilateral cooperation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In this era of globalization, all the nations of this world actually are interdependent, sharing joys and sorrows together in their lives. China cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, nor can the world enjoy prosperity and stability without China. We will adhere to a path of peaceful development, tirelessly contributing to world peace and stability. In the coming days, China will speed up the transition of economic development mode, promoting the structural adjustment, vigorously advocating structural and technological renovation, with an aim of maintaining a medium-high growth of our economy. This will no doubt bring opportunities to other countries. It is our wish that, in the framework of China-East and Central Europe Cooperation, we would be able to exploit the full potential of bilateral cooperation with Macedonia. With the mutual efforts, we look forward to further enhancing the economic and trade ties, fuelling economic development and promoting non-government exchanges. I believe the traditional friendship will last from generation to generation, and bring benefits to the people of the two countries.

Last but not least, I would like to propose a toast. Please raise your glasses, to the 65th anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China, to the prosperity of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the friendship between the two peoples, to the health of His Excellency President Ivanov, His Excellency President of the Assembly Veljanoski and His Excellency Foreign Minister Poposiki and all the distinguished guests.

Thank you!