On 26 September 2019, H.E. Mr Chen Hai, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar, held the National Day Reception in MICC2, Nay Pyi Taw, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Vice president H.E. U Myint Swe and spouse, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Vice Senior General U Soe Win and spouse, former President U Htin Kyaw’s wife Daw Su Su Lwin, Chairman of Union Election Commission H.E. U Hla Thein and spouse, Union Minister for Home Affairs H.E. U Kyaw Swe and spouse, Union Minister for Information H.E. Dr. Pe Myint, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture H.E. Thura U Aung Ko, Union Minister for Transport and Communication H.E. U Thant Sin Maung and spouse, Union Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population H.E.U Thein Swe, Union Minister for Education H.E. Dr. Myo Thein Gyi, Union Minister for Planning and Finance H.E. U Soe Win & Spouse, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement H.E. Dr. Win Myat Aye, Union Minister for Ethnic Affairs H.E. U Nai Thet Lwin and spouse, Chairman of the Union Civil Service Board H.E. Dr. Win Thein and spouse, Commander of Bureau of Special Operations 1 Lieutenant General U Tun Tun Naung and spouse, Commander of Bureau of Special Operations 2 Lieutenant General U Moe Myint Tun and spouse attended the event. Ambassador Chen Hai and Vice President U Myint Swe addressed the reception respectively.
Ambassador Chen Hai said that the past 70 years have been an extraordinary period for New China. 70 years ago, the newly founded China was isolated and behind. Today, 70 years later, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. China has seen major economic achievements, higher living standard, and a historic leap in the comprehensive national strength and international influence. The Chinese nation has achieved a tremendous transformation: it has stood up, grown rich and is becoming strong. China is now striding on the journey of great rejuvenation.
Looking back at the grand process of reform and development of China in the past 70 years, the original aspiration and mission—seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation—rests throughout the work of CPC and Chinese Government, which is also the fundamental driving force for us to continue to advance. The CPC and government will continue to adhere to the idea of people-centered development, rise to challenges, pioneer and forge ahead to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, promoting the all-round development of the people and the common prosperity. We are accumulating strength for building a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful country in the middle of this century and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The achievements of China's reform and development have not only changed China's realities, but also made significant contributions to world development and peace. Since 2006, China has become the prime engine of the world economic growth. China actively participates in international economic cooperation, advocates and promotes the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative, and contributes to transformation of the global governance system with China's wisdom, demonstrating the responsibility of a major country. Peace is a gene rooted in the Chinese culture. As a responsible major country, China has always adhered to the philosophy of global governance of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration, followed the path of peaceful development, and firmly pursued an open strategy of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. China is willing to work with all countries to foster a new type of international relations featured by mutual respect, fairness and justice, cooperation and win-win result in order to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar. Looking back on the past, China-Myanmar relations have also gone through an extraordinary journey. Myanmar, as a country with different social system, took the lead in establishing diplomatic relations with the new China. The two countries have peacefully resolved the boundary disputes. China and Myanmar have established a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and are jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. The two countries support each other in major international and regional issues and strengthen cooperation on Myanmar’s peace process and Rakhine issue, injecting new vitality to China-Myanmar relations.
At present, China-Myanmar relations have entered a new era and ushered in new development opportunities. Under the strategic leadership of President Xi Jinping and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, we are willing to work together with Myanmar to promote high-level exchanges and jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. We wish to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in agriculture, tourism and infrastructure construction, promote livelihood projects in education, medical care, poverty alleviation and other areas, deepen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, thus building a community of shared future for China and Myanmar and creating a brighter future for China-Myanmar relations.
Vice president U Myint Swe expressed his congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. He said that over the past 70 years since the founding of New China, China's economic and social development has achieved a great leap. China's GDP has grown from 30 billion U.S. dollars in 1952 to 13.61 trillion U.S. dollars in 2018. Since the reform and opening up, 700 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty, which is a remarkable achievement. At present, China has become the world's second largest economy. It is believed that China will surely achieve greater development and successfully realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The Pauk-Phaw friendship between Myanmar and China enjoys a long history. Under the framework of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the two countries respect each other, understand each other, and carry out close cooperation in various fields. The bilateral relations have been consolidated and developed into a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. China is Myanmar's largest trading partner and source of foreign capital. In April this year, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, which injected new impetus into the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides. We firmly believe that Myanmar-China relations and cooperation will achieve greater development under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
U Myint Swe thanked China for its long-term assistance in Myanmar's education, health, social, rural development, poverty alleviation and other areas. Myanmar also appreciated China's constructive role in resolving the Rakhine issue and promoting Myanmar's domestic peace and national reconciliation. It is believed that China will continue to lend its understanding and support to Myanmar. And Myanmar will continue to work for the further development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields.
Exhibitions with rich contents and various forms were also held at the reception. Photo Exhibition of International Tour Celebrating the 70th Founding Anniversary of the People's Republic of China demonstrated the development and changes over the past 70 years since the founding of New China. Guests watched the exhibition and admired the earth-shaking achievements that China has made. Through pictures, videos and models, the Cooperation Achievement Exhibition of the Joint Building of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Myanmar Economic Corridor vividly showed China and Myanmar’s cooperation on China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline, Kyaukphyu deep-sea port and industrial zones and in the fields of railway, mining, electricity, transportation, infrastructure, tourism, telecommunications, agriculture, textile and garment industry, which brings development opportunities to Myanmar. Guests spoke highly of China's contribution to promoting Myanmar's development and improving people's livelihood and looked forward to the bright future of China-Myanmar relations and cooperation between the two countries.
The reception enjoyed a joyous and warm atmosphere. 32 government officials from the Myanmar ministries, participating the Chinese language training provided by the Chinese Embassy, sang the Chinese song "Friends". The theme videos such as "Beautiful China", "The Dream catcher-China 2019", "China-Myanmar Friendship" attracted much attention. Books and Magazines such as "The Irrawaddy Stories", "China-Myanmar Friendship Poetry Collection", "China Today", "70 Years in the Eyes of the PaukPhaw" were displayed and given out as gifts to the guests. Guests from all walks of life talked about cooperation and looked forward to the future, and jointly wished that the relations between the two countries would achieve greater development and friendship between China and Myanmar would last forever.