Located in the central Mediterranean Sea, Malta is strategically important and the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Knights of St. John, French and British have all left a strong influence on Malta's language, culture, food and architecture. Malta is home to numerous castles, the most stunning of which is Valletta, Malta's capital, which was built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century. Neolithic cultural sites dot the Maltese countryside, many of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Today, Malta is a member of the European Union and joined the eurozone in 2008, is classified as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund and as a high-income country by the World Bank. Malta's development has shown that countries with limited natural resources can also achieve rapid development.

I am deeply honored to be Malta's Ambassador in China. Malta and China have always walked side by side on the road of development. In the 1970s, China helped Malta build Dry Dock No. 6, a 360-meter-long, 62-meter-wide and 12.5-meter-deep dry dock, which was the largest shipbuilding and ship-repairing base in the Mediterranean at that time. It took Chinese engineers and Maltese workers nearly six years to build, and played an irreplaceable role in Malta's economic development.

Since then, Malta and China have jointly carried out many cooperation projects, and the friendly relations between the two countries have been deepening. 2023 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Malta Chinese Cultural Center; 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Mediterranean Regional Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine. Malta and China have also exchanged ministerial visits. In November, 2023, Maltese Foreign Minister Borg visited China and attended the 6th China International Import Expo, signing an agreement on the export of Maltese bluefin tuna to China. Foreign Minister Borg also inaugurated the Malta Pavilion at the Fair.

Over the past few months, Malta and China have worked closely together in the United Nations Security Council. China has contributed immensely to the realization of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Malta is also willing to make a greater contribution to the maintenance of world peace and security on the basis of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. As a member of the European Union and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Malta will continue to work with China to realize world peace and sustainable development, to promote the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to join hands to build a better future.