(January 29, 2022)

Honourable Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang,

Members of the Parliament and State Legislative Assembly, Representatives of government departments,

Leaders from the Chinese Community and Political Parties,

Dear colleagues from Consular Corps,

Dear guests and friends,

Good morning!

As the traditional Chinese festival - the Spring Festival is approaching, I am very happy to be at this joyful on-line gathering with you to celebrate the Chinese New Year in the special way of “cloud” reception. First and foremost, on behalf of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Penang and my colleagues, I would like to express cordial greetings and warm festive blessings to overseas Chinese and Chinese nationals abroad, Chinese enterprises, overseas Chinese students, and friends from all walks of life in the consular district. Furthermore, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the friends from all walks of life who keep extending concern and support to the China-Malaysia relations and local cooperation between the two countries!

The year 2021 was truly an extraordinary year for China and will be remembered in history. China responded with composure to the profound changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, rose to the challenges, adhered to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, coordinated efforts to advance both the prevention and control of the epidemic and the economic and social development, sustained the recovery and development of the national economy, and further advanced reform and opening-up. We have made new advances in fostering a new development paradigm and pursuing high-quality development, and got off to a good start in implementing the 14th Five-Year Plan. The annual GDP of year 2021 exceeded 110 trillion yuan, an increase of 8.1 percent over the previous year at constant price. China actively contributes to building a community with a shared future for mankind, and shares more of its development outcomes with the world while developing itself. China has successfully contained the virus, maintained economic growth, and provided medical supplies, COVID-19 vaccines, and industrial products to the world. The country is making significant contributions to stabilizing the global industrial chain and supply chain, ensuring the smooth flow of global trade, and promoting the recovery of the world economy. China has served as an anchor of stability in a fast-changing world and injected positive energy into it. 

In the year 2021, we have witnessed together the historic moment of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). At the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly declared that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and has brought about a historic resolution to the problem of absolute poverty in China, and is now marching in confident strides toward the second centenary goal of building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. We witnessed the successful convening of the sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC. The resolution adopted at this plenum is the third historical resolution of the CPC, which comprehensively and systematically summarized the major achievements and historical experience of CPC in its 100-year history, established Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and provided fundamental guarantees for keeping to the course of a new journey toward realizing the next centenary goal.

China and Malaysia are good neighbors of mutual trust, good friends treating each other sincerely, and good partners for win-win cooperation. Over the past year, the traditional friendship between the two peoples emerged still stronger from the joint fight of the pandemic and common development of the two countries. China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years, and has been the largest investor in the Malaysian manufacturing industry for five consecutive years. Malaysia is the second largest trading partner of China among ASEAN countries and the tenth largest trading partner in the world. Malaysia is the first country to sign an inter-governmental cooperation agreement on COVID-19 vaccine with China and reach reciprocal arrangements for vaccination. Both sides have conducted comprehensive cooperation in vaccine production, procurement, clinical trial and research & development, which have demonstrated the profound friendship between China and Malaysia in solidarity and mutual assistance.

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped the sound momentum of the exchanges and cooperation between China and the four states of the consular district. We have overcome the impact of the pandemic and use a combination of online and offline techniques to maintain continuous exchanges between the localities of the two countries in various fields. The Chinese Consulate General worked together with several Chinese associations to hold seminars and exchanges on topics related to China’s new development, new opportunities for China-Malaysia cooperation, and the joint construction of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), etc. The Chinese Consulate General cooperated with the Penang State Government to hold the “Discover the Charm of Chinese Culture in Penang” TikTok Video Competition for the first time. The Consulate General also cooperated with the provinces and cities in China such as Heilongjiang Province and Chengdu city to meticulously organize China-based universities’ online info sessions especially for Northern Malaysia. The influences of some flagship events organized by the Chinese Consulate General, such as “My love, my connection between China and Malaysia” Theme Essay Competition and the “Scholarship and Bursary Program 2021 by the Chinese Consulate General in Penang”, have gradually grown. We can reach the conclusion that the bilateral local exchanges in the fields of economy, trade, culture, education, youth, etc., have shown a stronger momentum and the enthusiasm of the two sides is still high. 

In year 2022, China will ride the wind, break the waves, and build on past achievements to forge into the future. The Communist Party of China (CPC) will convene the 20th National Congress of CPC. This will be an extremely important meeting as the Chinese people have set out on the new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and will be of special significance to China and the world. In just over a week, Beijing will light the Olympic flame for a second time. The Chinese capital Beijing, an ancient city with thousands of years of history and a city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics, will present a streamlined, safe, and splendid event for the world. Just like the official motto for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games “Together for a Shared Future”, China will join hands with the world to take a further step to sow the seeds of friendship, peace and hope, and inject more confidence and strength into the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. 

As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc, the travel plans of many fellow compatriots overseas who wish to return home to celebrate Chinese New Year have been disrupted. Being on the overseas front line of fighting against the pandemic, my colleagues and I are able to share the same experience and fully understand the struggle of fighting the pandemic over the past two years and the feeling of homesickness of the compatriots living in the consular district who have not returned home for a long time. In order to help our fellow compatriots to have a healthy and safe Chinese New Year, the Consulate General has distributed Spring Festival packages to the Chinese nationals who are unable to return to China, as well as overseas Chinese students and overseas Chinese in need. I hope that everyone will strictly abide by the regulations on epidemic prevention and control of the Malaysian government and the four state governments in the consular district, and ensure your personal health and safety with practical methods. My colleagues and I will continue to remain at our posts to provide support and assistance to all of you, and embrace the final victory of the fight against the pandemic together!

In traditional Chinese culture, tiger is considered the king of all beasts, and is a symbol of vitality, courage, and majesty. It has the magnanimity and broad mind of leading the world, and the courage and strength to overcome all difficulties and obstacles. Looking forward to the new year, China stands ready to take the opportunity of fostering a new development paradigm to further synergize development strategies with Malaysia, conduct high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and add new impetus to regional and global economic growth. The Chinese Consulate General in Penang is willing to work with the governments of the four states and all sectors of society in the consular district to restore exchanges and cooperation between China and the four states in northern Malaysia in various fields, write a new chapter of local cooperation between China and Malaysia in the post-pandemic era, and promote the local friendly cooperation to be just like the soaring of the dragon and leaping of the tiger in a prosperous and thriving new year!

Lastly, I would like to propose a toast, let us raise our glasses together,

I wish China and Malaysia prosperous, and the two peoples at peace. May the profound friendship between China and Malaysia be everlasting!

As we celebrate the Year of the Tiger, I wish our guests and friends good luck, may you have the courage and strength of the tiger, good health, and family happiness!

Cheers!