Good afternoon! It is my pleasure to be invited to attend today’s award ceremony. First of all, on behalf of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto, I would like to express my thanks to the Canadian Youth Council for its efforts to promote economic and people-to-people exchanges between China and Canada, especially between the young generation of our two countries. I would also like to extend my congratulations to all the outstanding young talents who received the awards today.
Young people are the hope of a country and the future of a nation. They are the new force and backbone of a country’s economic and social development. The young people are also an important bridge and link for China and Canada to deepen understanding and communication. The friendship between the two countries cannot be separated from the active participation of the young people, and the future of our bilateral relations also depends on the young people of both countries. Looking at the youthful faces of all of you present here today, I am full of confidence in the boundless future of our relations.
A sound and stable China-Canada relationship serves the common interests of the two peoples and will accordingly provide a broad stage for the young generations of the two countries to unleash their talents and realize their ambitions. However, it is regrettable that over the past period of time, the China-Canada relations has encountered some difficulties and obstacles. One of the major reasons is the misjudgment caused by the wrong perception towards China.
Here, I cannot help thinking of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s valuable political wisdom and legacy on China nearly five decades ago. In Two Innocents in Red China, a memoir of his visit to China in the 1960s, the elder Trudeau wrote earnestly that “it seemed to us imperative that the citizens of our democracy should know more about China.”
Obviously, an open-minded mentality and a deep-rooted desire to understand are the right “Approach to China” by elder Trudeau, the co-founder of China-Canada relations and an extraordinary visionary statesman. His assessment of China from his first official visit to China in 1973 still rings true: “In comparison with all previous Chinese social systems, China is now striving to provide human dignity and equality of opportunity for the Chinese people.” Compared with decades ago, today’s China has undergone tremendous changes, but our original aspiration and mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation have never changed.
Today, the China-Canada relationship is also at a very important juncture. It also needs people from all walks of life, including the young people of both countries, to think rationally, obtain a clear picture of the current situation and set on the right track. Open-mindedness and inclusiveness are the distinctive characteristics of youth in today’s era. The youth of China and Canada should develop a correct understanding of each other through an open mind and continuous communication.
To understand China, one must understand the Communist Party of China (CPC). Only by understanding the CPC can we understand China. Last month, the 20th National Congress of CPC was successfully held. As an important milestone, this conference will not only have a profound impact on China, but also inject impetus into the joint efforts of countries around the world to meet challenges and achieve common development.
China will remain committed firmly to the path of peaceful development. That means that China will travel a path that is different from traditional powers in pursuing modernization. China will commit itself to promoting the progress of all humanity with a Chinese path of modernization, and further development of China will provide new opportunities for the whole world. We will develop friendly relations and pursue win-win cooperation with all countries including Canada. The report of CPC’s 20th National Congress provides the latest authoritative text for the world to understand China’s future road. If you want to understand China, please have a thorough reading of the report.
Over the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, generations of aspiring young people from China and Canada have contributed their youth to promoting friendly cooperation and exchanges between our two countries. Now, the baton of history has been passed to all of you. In the future, the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto will continue to maintain close contacts with the Canadian Youth Council and other young overseas Chinese organizations in our consular area to promote extensive exchanges and deepen mutual understanding between the young generations of the two countries. I hope you will be ambassadors of China-Canada friendship and mutual understanding and play a unique role in the sound and stable development of our bilateral relations.
最后，祝加拿大青年委员会百尺竿头更进一步，未来取得更大发展。祝在座各位青年才俊学业进步，事业有成。
Finally, I wish the Canadian Youth Council great progress and even greater development. I wish all the young talents present here progress and success in the future.
