By H.E. Mr. Song Deheng

The Consul General of the People's Republic of China

Mumbai, January 25th, 2006

Fellow Compatriots, Friends from Chinese Companies and Offices,

Your Excellencies, Colleagues, Indian Friends,

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Good Evening!

As the Chinese Lunar New Year, traditional festival of family reunion approaching, we meet here to celebrate. On behalf of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China and all of my colleagues, I would like to bid you my New Year greetings, wishing you all a happy, lucky and successful new year.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the past 25 years, China has created a historic miracle of human being's development with a booming economy, which has been maintaining 9.6% average growth per annum and enabling more than 220 million Chinese people to do away with poverty and live an affluent life. In 2005, we witnessed another remarkable flourishing year in China, the Chinese Government left no stone untouched to make the country prosperous by constructing "good and progressive governance"; the Chinese people thus lived and worked in peace and harmonious atmosphere. China became the fourth biggest economy and the third largest trader in the world, with a GDP of US$2.3trillion or per capita income US$1400 and a total trade volume of US$1422 billion.

China's development has become an indispensable drive to global development with its huge contributions in it. Meanwhile, China persists unswervingly in taking the road of peaceful and harmonious development. As an important strength of maintaining world peace and promoting common development, China shoulders more responsibilities together with other members of the international community. China perseveres in peacefully resolving disputes or crises such as Korean peninsula nuclear issue, Middle East peace process and other international "hot spots"; the PLA officers and men in the UN peacekeeping forces, either in Haiti or Africa, showed their nobility and resolution in defending peace and harmony of the world. Upon the occurrence of the Indian Ocean tsunami, South Asia earthquakes and New Orleans hurricane in 2005, China offered timely and sincere aid to the suffering countries in their rescue and re-construction efforts. Its medical and succor teams sent to hard hit areas worked day and night to save as many lives as they could.

Dear Fellow Compatriots,

The peoples who are living across Taiwan Straits have the same Chinese root. For the purpose of achieving the peaceful reunification across the Striates, maintaining their essential interests, the Chinese Government keeps seeking a settlement of the Taiwan issue with ultimate zealousness and sincerity all through. Last year, political leaders of Taiwan such as Mr. Lian Zhan, the former President of Chinese Kuo Min Tang (Nationalist Party), Mr. Song Chuyu, the President of Qin Min Party and leaders of New Party visited mainland China successively to quest for ways of reunification, which proves the inevitable general trends of anti-split and pro-unification while the rubbish of so-called "independence of Taiwan" was continuously refuted by the people across Taiwan Straits. I hope that you overseas Chinese present here could try your best to dedicate yourself into promoting the reunification of the motherland.

Dear Friends,

As two populous developing countries and great nations amongst the longest history of civilizations in the world, as well as neighboring countries, India and China share so many common interests, both of the two governments and two peoples cherish coexisting peacefully as well. With joint efforts, the bilateral relationship between India and China is at the stage of comprehensive development. Fruitful visit by Chinese Premier Mr. Wen Jiabao to India last April has been promoting the bilateral exchanges and cooperation greatly. Two countries are forging a strategic and co-operative partnership; China became the second biggest trade partner of India with another boom of bilateral trade of US$18 billion in 2005. We are looking forward to the year of 2006, declared by our two governments the "Year of China-India Friendship", being a new jumping-off point to improve the bilateral relation further. Dear Fellow Compatriots,

As a stranger in an exotic land, one feels more homesick when the happiest festival comes, especially the Chinese Spring Festival, a festival of reunion. You left your native place to work hard on an alien land; you behave under local laws and relate well to local people. You contribute greatly to the development of Indian society and play a role of bridge between two nations, your diligence and goodness bring honor to yourselves, your motherland is proud of you. I would like to thank you all for your relentless support to the Consulate General, my colleagues and I will return it by our improving service for you.

Dear Friends, Ladies & Gentlemen,

Please join me in a toast to the prosperity of China, our great motherland; to the sustaining promotion of India-China relationship; to the health, success and well-being of you all in the New Year, the year of Dog, Cheers!

Thanks a lot.