On the evening of January 17th, 2019, the Foreign Ministry and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality co-hosted the 2019 new year reception for foreign journalists in China at the National Center for the Performing Arts. Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Member of the Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Executive Vice Mayor of Beijing Lin Keqing attended the reception. Spokesperson and Director-General of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry Lu Kang chaired the reception.
Qin Gang expressed in his speech that the past year 2018 is another quite extraordinary year for China on the road ahead. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we have overcome all sorts of risks and challenges and written a splendid new chapter on the new journey. The past year has witnessed continuous and sound economic development, a good start in the Three Critical Battles, tens of millions of rural people being lifted out of poverty and significant achievements in pollution prevention and control. We celebrated the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, and overcame all odds to deepen reform across the board in a rapid and steady manner, with 100 plus important reform measures being rolled out. We honored our commitments as we opened our market to the world with practical actions and made further progress in deepening opening up, and sharing development opportunities with various parties.
Qin Gang expressed that the year 2018 is also a year for China to develop itself to help others with the well-being of the world in its mind. China has practiced Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy while conducting its diplomacy and effectively coped with profound changes in the external environment. We made great efforts and forged ahead in actively promoting the building of a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation and a community with a shared future for mankind. China has maintained overall stable relations with major countries, deepened mutually beneficial cooperation with developing countries, achieved comprehensive development in the relations with neighboring countries, actively participated in global governance and pushed for the political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues. China has successfully hosted four major home-field diplomatic events, namely the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao Summit, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the first China International Import Expo. Last year also saw 60 plus countries and international organizations entering the circle of friends of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, the epochal connotation of the "Shanghai Spirit" being enriched and expanded, fruitful results of the South-South cooperation, and the benefits of opening up and win-win results being delivered to the whole world. Facts have shown that apart from benefiting the Chinese people, China's reform and opening up and its development progress have also vigorously boosted the prosperity and progress of the human society and vigorously maintained peace and stability in the region and the world.
Qin Gang noted that looking ahead, we will embrace the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 2019. Facing the profound changes unseen in a century as well as complicated international environment, the international community pays particular attention to how China will act and what a role China will play in the world. We will continue to firmly advance on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, unswervingly deepen reform and expand opening up, and strive for the realization of the aspirations of the Chinese people for a better life, in a bid to achieve excellent results at a stable and fast speed in the relay race of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In diplomatic work, we will follow President Xi Jinping's requirements. No matter how the landscape of the international community changes, China will remain unchanged in our confidence and determination to safeguard national sovereignty and security, as well as in our sincerity and good will to safeguard world peace and promote common development. China will actively advance the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and make unremitting efforts to build a better and more prosperous world. China will hold the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and China International Import Expo as well this year. Foreign journalists are witnesses, writers and transmitters of China's stories. It is hoped that you will have a more in-depth thinking on how to present a real China to the world in an objective and comprehensive manner. We are willing to make joint efforts with you to tell China's stories well amid the profound changes unseen in a century.
Lin Keqing introduced the latest situation of Beijing's economic and social development as well as opening up in his speech, and welcomed foreign journalists to pay attention to the new development in Beijing, especially the construction of Beijing's sub-center.
Nearly 500 people were present at the reception, including foreign journalists in China, foreign diplomats in China, principals of some central ministries and commissions as well as relevant departments of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and heads of China's mainstream media.