Hon. Speaker Anglu Farrugia,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Good evening.

Thank you all for coming to the opening ceremony of the 13th “Happy Chinese New Year in Valletta”. Let me begin by extending, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy, sincere appreciation and warm welcome to you, Hon. Speaker, for honoring us with your presence. The fact that we are once again launching the Happy Chinese New Year in Valletta here in the Parliament House fully demonstrates the deep friendship that you and the Maltese people cherish toward the Chinese people, as well as your affection for the Chinese culture. I also wish to take this opportunity to convey cordial greetings and best wishes to all Maltese friends who have long supported the growth of China-Malta relations and to the Chinese community, businesses, organizations and students here in Malta.

The Chinese New Year, as the most important traditional festival in China, is part and parcel of the Chinese culture. It evokes amongst the Chinese their deepest attachment to the nation as their common home. Today, the Chinese New Year is celebrated by more and more people around the world, making it a global event. This is attributable to the universally shared aspirations that the festival embodies, such as unity of family, auspiciousness and good health, and harmony between man and nature.

Both China and Malta are proudly known for immense historical and cultural heritage. In recent years, our people-to-people and cultural exchanges have been flourishing, bringing the two peoples closer to each other. Last November, during the Hon. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s stay in Shanghai for the China International Import Expo, our two governments signed a MOU on Belt and Road cooperation. It demonstrates the readiness of both sides to work together for win-win progress under the Belt and Road Initiative, and people-to-people exchange is an important component of this document. Today, China-Malta relations are standing at a new historical starting point and are blessed with opportunities for even bigger growth. Going forward, we will work closely with our Maltese friends to translate the Belt and Road MOU into concrete action and deliver tangible benefits to people in both countries.

The upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year is the year of the pig. It symbolizes wealth and good luck. So I wish you all a happy and auspicious year of the pig! I wish China-Malta relations greater progress in this new year, and I wish the Happy Chinese New Year in Valletta 2019 a resounding success!

Thank you!