Honorable Mr. Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Vice President of the Republic of Liberia,

Honorable Mr. Sylvester M. Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs,

Honorable Cllr. Deweh E. Gray, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Distinguished Cabinet Ministers and Government Officials,

Distinguished Members of the 55th Legislature,

Honorable Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia,

Distinguished Members of Diplomatic Crops,

Dear Chinese Fellow Compatriots,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Good evening!

It’s my great pleasure to have you here to celebrate

the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. 75 years is a brief moment in history, but it has been a glorious period of profound transformation and unprecedented change for China. Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has created miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.

Over the 75 years, China has unswervingly adhered to and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPC has led the Chinese people to successfully embark on the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics that is in keeping with China's national conditions. Chinese people have accomplished industrialization that took developed countries several centuries to cover, developed into the world's second largest economy, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The Chinese nation has achieved a tremendous transformation — it has stood up, grown rich, and become strong.

Over the 75 years, China has always adhered to the people-centred development philosophy. The CPC serves the people wholeheartedly and is committed to improving people's livelihoods and well-being. China has vigorously pursued poverty alleviation, eradicated absolute poverty for the first time in its history, increased the per capita disposable income of its people by 76 times in real terms. China has established the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems.

Over the 75 years, China has unswervingly pursued the path of peaceful development and the independent foreign policy of peace. China is committed to developing friendly cooperation with all countries based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, advocates an equal and orderly multi-polar world and inclusive economic globalization that benefits all. Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, advocated high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. These vision and initiatives have provided new solutions for tackling the common challenges of humanity.

During this Summer, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was successfully held. It made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese modernization, and determined to complete more than 300 important reform measures in the next five years. It demonstrates China’s firm determination to continue reform and opening up. It will continue to write a new chapter in the Chinese miracle. It will also bring more stability and certainty to a turbulent world, and create more opportunities for China-Liberia cooperation.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Not long ago, the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held in Beijing. It was a historic event.

The Summit has demonstrated the firm confidence of the friendly family of China and Africa in solidarity and cooperation. Leaders of all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations and representatives of more than 30 international and African regional organizations attended. The Summit is a large-scale and high-level event. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai attended the Summit and made important contributions to it. Two important documents, the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), were adopted unanimously. During the Summit, China has entered into strategic partnerships with all African countries having diplomatic ties with China, the characterization of the overall China-Africa relations was elevated to an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era.

The Summit has sent out a strong voice of the times for China and Africa to join hands to promote modernization. Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries. President Xi Jinping put forward that China and Africa should work together to advance modernization in six aspects that is just and equitable, that is open and win-win, that puts the people first, that features diversity and inclusiveness, that is eco-friendly, and that is underpinned by peace and security. These six ideas have been widely recognized by African leaders and have formed a political consensus between China and Africa.

The Summit has drawn up a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernization, including Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Trade Prosperity, Industrial Chain Cooperation, Connectivity, Development Cooperation, Health, Agriculture and Livelihoods, People-to-People Exchanges, Green Development and Common Security. To this end, China announced a series of new all-round practical cooperation initiatives, which will give a strong boost to Africa's modernization drive.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

As an African proverb goes, a friend is someone you share the path with. Liberia is an important participant of and contributor to the FOCAC, and China is also a trustworthy friend and partner of Liberia. Coincidentally, I’ve just finished my first year in Liberia today. Over the past year, I have had the honor to reach out to all walks of life in Liberia and witnessed the growing maturity, tenacity and progress of China-Liberia relations.

Over the past year, the strategic guidance of the two heads of state has become more powerful. During the FOCAC Summit, President Xi Jinping met with President Boakai, and the two sides announced the elevation of the China-Liberia relationship to a strategic partnership. The strategic consensus of the two heads of state has charted the course of China-Liberia relations.

Over the past year, exchanges between China and Liberia at all levels have become more active. President Boakai led a large delegation to attend the FOCAC Summit; many cabinet ministers of the Liberian new government, as well as members of the Legislature such as President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, have visited China in various forms; Mr. Luther Tarpeh, National Chairman of the Unity Party, and Mr. John-Charuk Siafa, Mayor of Monrovia City, have successively visited China. Mr. Bater, President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended President Boakai's inauguration ceremony. Mr. Yuan Qinhua, Vice Governor of China's Jiangxi Province, and Mr. Xu Hui, President of the All-China Student's Federation, have successively visited Liberia. In the past year, the number of Chinese visas issued to Liberian people has nearly doubled, and the number of Chinese people visiting Liberia has also increased.

Over the past year, the bilateral practical cooperation has yielded more fruitful results. China and Liberia renewed maritime transport agreement, signed a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation, the Fingerprint Examination Laboratory Project was handed over, and the LBS Refurbishment and Expansion Project was launched. In the next step, China will implement important projects such as the two Overpass Bridges on Tubman Boulevard, the National Clinical Diagnostic and Treatment Lab at the 14 Military Hospital, Bamboo and Rattan Weaving, geological resource surveys, etc, contributing to Liberia's economic and social development.

Standing at a new starting point, China will work with Liberia to actively implement the strategic consensus reached by the two heads of state and the outcomes of the FOCAC Summit, strengthen the alignment of the two countries' development strategies, jointly advance the modernization of the two countries, and continuously lift the strategic partnership between the two countries to new levels.

Now, I’d like to propose a toast,

To the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China,

To the prosperity of China and Liberia,

To the friendship between our two peoples,

And to the health and happiness of all the distinguished guests and your loved ones,

Cheers!