(Tuesday, December 20, 4:45 pm)
Your Honorable Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa,
Respectable Mr. Liu Ji, Secretary of Huizhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China,
Respectable Mr. Cang Feng, Deputy Director-general of Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province,
Your Honorable Ministers, Members of the Parliament,
Your Excellency Members of Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Talofa Lava
It is a great honor to attend the handover ceremony of Culture & Arts Center. Here, on behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to express my warm congratulations on the successful completion and handover of the project, and more than privileged to join you to witness the exciting moment together.
First of all, I would like to thank Guangdong province and Huizhou municipality for its generous financial assistance. Secondly, thanks also go to Shanghai Construction Group for overcoming the COVID-19 adverse impact and completing the project with high quality. Most importantly, I sincerely appreciate the Samoa Government for its strong support and cooperation to ensure smooth progress of the project.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As the Chinese ambassador, witnessing the construction process of the Culture & Arts Center is really an amazing and cherishable experience, since it covers approximately 9200 square meters, including theater, culture exhibition hall, art shop, garden landscapes, offices, conference rooms, library, restaurant, etc. It is not only another sign of the further deepening of the practical cooperation between China and Samoa, but a resilient and endurable facility which will bring tangible benefits to Samoa and her culture and people continuously in the coming future.
As President Xi Jinping pointed out in his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, “China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future”. China has been upholding the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith in its cooperation with Pacific island countries including Samoa, and attaches great importance to promoting their resilient and sustainable development, especially key areas like climate change and ocean protection. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Samoa, on the basis of mutual respect, have achieved fruitful cooperation outcomes, which greatly benefit our two peoples. I am very pleased to note that the friendship Park has been enrolled as one of the main sites for Christmas and new year celebration, more and more Samoan people enjoy themselves there. I do believe that the Culture & Arts Center will also bring new impetus to Samoa’s cultural advancement and bring new cultural experience to the Samoan people.
Your Honorable Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As an old Chinese saying goes, “one may not necessarily walk fast while walking alone but will surely walk far while walking together with others”. Samoa also has a saying “E so’o le fau i le fau”, which means unity is strength. Embracing the vision of mankind living in a community with a shared future, we stand ready to join hands with the Samoan people, to promote closer exchanges and deeper cooperation, and bring bilateral relation to a new high.
Finally, as Christmas and New Year 2023 approach, I would like to extend my best wishes to all of you, may you merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. Manuia Le Kerisimasi, Ma Le Tausaga Fou.
Fa’a fetai tele lava
Soifua
