（January 2023, India Session）

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Namaste!

The  Chinese New Year, the year of Rabbit, is around the corner. I am very happy to enjoy with our Indian Friends this online concert, which is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and performed by China National Traditional Orchestra, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Tianjin Opera Ballet, and other extraordinary artists. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in India, I would like to express my sincere thanks to each participant and artist.

Looking back on 2022, the world has gone through a year full of challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic still drags on with cases surging here and there. The world economy is getting more fragile. The geopolitical environment remains tense. Global governance is seriously inadequate. Food and energy crises are compounded with one another. In the face of these challenges, China and India have injected more stability into an uncertain world with their respective sustained and steady development. China successfully held the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, drew a grand blueprint for promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through the path of Chinese modernization, and China is embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. India celebrated the 75th anniversary of its independence, who has made impressive achievements in national development, and set a brand new goal for the future development. Facts have proven that the world needs the common development of China and India, and can provide sufficient room for the two neighbors’ development.

Over the past year, China-India relations have shown a recovery momentum. The leaders of the two countries attended three multilateral summits, and the two foreign ministers met twice. The two sides maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels, and the current border situation is overall stable. Personnel exchanges between the two countries gradually resumed, while the bilateral trade volume hit a new high.

As ancient civilizations and major emerging economies, China and India are pursuing our own development and modernization goals. A sound and stable China-India relationship is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and our two peoples. We should adhere to the important consensus reached by our top leaders that “China and India should not be a threat to each other, but an opportunity for each other’s development”, and “be cooperation partners to each other instead of being competitive rivals”. We should enhance understanding and mutual trust, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, properly manage differences, so as to promote China-India relations back to the right track. India assumes the host country of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and G20, and China is willing to support India in its related efforts together with other member states.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,

Civilizations have become richer and more colorful with exchanges and mutual learning. As two ancient civilizations with long history, art exchanges and  cooperation in various fields between China and India, will contribute to mutual learning and facilitate people-to-people bonds. Hereby, I would like to introduce you the Chinese artists, who will be playing the classic masterpieces known by people around the world, such as "Jasmine", "Voices of Spring ", and "A World Full of Love". The musical notes convey our friendship and the melodies connect our hearts. With their remarkable performance, our Indian friends will enjoy a visual-sound feast.

The upcoming year of Rabbit is bringing hope and good luck to everyone. Rabbit is a beautiful and smart animal which represents auspiciousness and goodness. I would like to express my best wishes to all friends on the occasion of the Chinese new year. Wish you all enjoy health, happiness and success in the year of Rabbit!

Thanks!