Xie Feng, Minister and DCM of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China Speaks at NACA’s Lunar New Year Banquet

Hon. Thurber Baker, Attorney General of State of Georgia,
Hon. Kasim Reed, Mayor of Atlanta,
Chair Lani Wong, President Patrick Ko and other NACA members,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very glad to escape the heavy snowstorm in Washington, D.C. and come to Atlanta. I can feel that spring is already approaching.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, 2009 was the Year of Ox. It has been a year of hard work, and a year of great achievement.

First, China, the United States and the whole world worked closely together to tackle the international financial crisis. Our efforts began to pay off. China registered an annual GDP growth rate of 8.7%. The US economy is picking up. And the world economy is on the course toward recovery.

Second, China, the United States and the rest of the world worked effectively together to address important international and regional issues, such as climate change, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the North Korean nuclear issue. We contributed together to the maintenance of world peace and stability.

Third, China and the United States worked together to ensure a smooth transition and a good start of our relations during the first year of President Obama’s administration. President Hu Jintao and President Obama met three times last year. President Obama paid a successful state visit to China. Leaders of the two countries reached important consensus to develop positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-US relationship for the 21st century. Both sides agree to take concrete actions to steadily build a partnership to address common challenges.

In a few days, we will usher in the Year of Tiger and celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival. The Year of Tiger stands for vigor and vitality. For China-US relations, it will be a year of both opportunities and challenges. We must seize the opportunities and meet the challenges.

First, we must implement the consensus reached by our leaders in the Joint Statement in earnest and with sincerity. We should respect and accommodate each other’s core interests and concerns. For the 1.3 billion Chinese people, nothing is more important than questions concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope that the US Government will strictly adhere to the one China policy, observe the three China-US joint communiqués and the norms governing international relations, and handle Taiwan and Tibet related questions in a proper and cautious way.

Second, we must enhance dialogue, and increase mutual strategic trust. In particular, we must work to ensure the success of the second round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue to be held this year.

Third, with the globalization of the world economy, the whole international community, including the United States and China, are in the same boat. We must join hands in rowing the boat in the same direction and in a concerted way. TONG ZHOU GONG JI in Chinese. This is not a time to blame each other, to take protectionist measures against each other, let alone to politicize trade and commercial issues, though this will be a mid-term election year here. We must help each other to tide over the current difficulties. I am very happy to announce here, according to the statistics by China-US Business Council, in 2008, Georgia’s export to China amounted to $2 billion. China is Georgia’s second export market. From 2000 to 2008, Georgia’s export to China expanded by 512%, while the state’s export to all the other countries grew by only 7.5%. We want to import more from the United States. We want to invest more in the Unites States. We hope that with your support and commitment, the US government will ease its restrictions on export control and investment control, including visa applications.

Fourth, we must continue to work together on important international and regional issues that bear upon world peace and security. To this end, we should further enhance our consultation, coordination and cooperation.

Fifth, we must further strengthen people-to-people contact between our two countries, the core foundation to the continuous steady development of China-US relations. This is vital for the increase of mutual understanding.

In that regard, I would like to pay special tribute to the National Association of Chinese-American Atlanta Chapter. As a non-profit organization, NACA has been dedicated to the advancement of friendly relationship between China and the United States. Before 1979, NACA had been working hard to assist in achieving and promoting full diplomatic recognition between China and the United States. After that, NACA has continued to work relentlessly in promoting cultural, educational, scientific and business relationship between China and the United States, while encouraging Chinese-Americans to participate in the American society yet preserving Chinese heritage in the American culture.

Now, may I propose a toast to the further success of NACA in bridging cultures, building leaders and benefiting communities, to the health, fortune, and happiness for all of us in the Year of Tiger, to the continuous prosperity of Atlanta and the State of Georgia, and to the sound and steady development of China-US relations in the Year of Tiger.

Thank you.