(Friday, 12 August 2011)
Mr. Osmond Bai, Principal of Boroko Primary School,
Dear Young Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
Warmly welcome you all to the Chinese Embassy for the first Open Day which is exclusively for Boroko Primary School. Your youthful energy and warmth have filled my humble place with vigor and vitality, and I am always more than happy to meet and talk with respectable teachers and young friends.
From your proud history, I learn that Boroko Primary School, a former Child Care Centre and a current successful school boasting of professional teachers and intelligent pupils, have contributed lots of talents to the development of PNG. Today's event aims to set up a platform for showcasing China and strengthening exchanges between the young generations of PNG and China. And I firmly believe that one day in the future, all young friends present today will act as messengers of friendship between our two nations and two peoples.
Dear young friends, in order to have a better understanding of China, firstly, please allow me to give you some ABC about China. China lies in the eastern part of the Asian continent. Like PNG, China also faces the Pacific Ocean, but that is from the western seashore. Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, stretches along the western part of China, towering 8844.43 meters. China covers a territory of 9.6 million square km, which is the third largest. China is the most populous state in the world, with 1.34 billion citizens, consisting of 56 ethnic groups. China is made up of 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities directly under the central government, and two special administrative regions, namely Hong Kong and Macao. Beijing is the capital, and Shanghai is the biggest economic and commercial centre in Asia.
China is the only existing ancient civilization in today's world, with a splendid civilization history dated 5000 years ago. China is also a very modern one. The People's Republic of China was founded 62 years ago in 1949. Since the introduction of reform and opening up policy in 1978, China has become the world's fastest growing major economy, the world's largest exporter and second largest importer of goods. In 2010, China became the world's second largest economy.
China and PNG began to know each other some several hundred years ago. The Chinese Government always attaches great importance to the development of the friendly bilateral relations between China and PNG. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between our two countries. Over the last 35 years, there have been frequent high-level meetings and exchange of visits, growing trade and economic cooperation, as well as fruitful exchange and cooperation in culture, education, health and other fields. The bilateral trade volume stood at $1.17 billion in 2010. The seed of friendship between our two countries has grown into a giant tree towering the sky. Both China and PNG are developing countries, and we are both at the critical stage of implementing the "12th Five-Year Plan" and "Vision 2050" respectively. Just like brothers and sisters, we have each and every reason to join hands for further cooperation in the years to come.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Young Friends,
Education is the foundation for all the developments of a country. During the past years, the Chinese Government has specially attached great importance and provided aid assistance to support the education development in PNG. Over 200 PNG students have been granted Scholarship, and several hundred PNG officials went to China for various training courses. The Chinese government has supported the building of the Student Dormitory of Vudal University, Lae Unitech and the Sir John Guise Stadium. We take special pride in the newly completed student dormitory in Goroka University, which is labeled as the state-of-art hotel dormitory in PNG by our PNG friends and the PNG media. Just in the near future, the National Convention Center aided by the Chinese government will stand ready for you to watch performances and participate in international conference.
Dear Young Friends,
A famous Chinese goes like this, "If the youth are wise, the country will be wise. If the youth are wealthy, the country will be wealthy. If the youth are strong, the country will be strong". As Chairman Mao once said, young people are like the morning sun at 8:00 or 9:00 o'clock, you are full of energy and vitality, and the world belongs to you. When you, the future PNG ambassador come to embrace the world one day in the future, please do not forget to drop in on China, please be sure to try the Chinese Scholarship. Most of all, please make your due contributions to cement the already close and strong friendship between our two countries and two peoples. Remember, the Chinese young generation is always willing to work closely with you in this endeavor.
In conclusion, Wish you all good academic performance and a promising future!
Wish the Boroko Primary School greater success!
And a lasting friendship between China and PNG!
Thank you.