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In the evening of 25th September the Chinese Embassy in London was decorated by flowers and filled with guests. The National Day Reception to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China was held in the Embassy. Tessa Jowell, Minister of State for Olympic Affairs, Lord Neil Davidson, Advocate General for Scotland, Lord Clement Jones, Vice Chairman of APPCG, Lord McNally, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Lords, Scott Wightman, DG of the Asia-Pacific Directorate, Moazzam Malik, DG of UN, Conflicts and Humanitarian Assistance of DFID, Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club, Stephen Phillips, CEO of CBBC, Lionel Barber, Editor-in-Chief of FT and over 400 other guests from British Government, Parliament, business and media as well as diplomatic corp. came for the reception.
The guests watched photos of the Beijing Olympics, China's reform and opening-up, earthquake and disaster relief, China's customs and landscape as well as video of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics and the launch of Shenzhou VII. They talked around bars displaying Chinese crafts. The atmosphere was lively and joyful.
Around 7pm, the reception came to its climax with the awarding ceremony of the donation certificate to those who had donated to the earthquake in Sichuan.
Ambassador Fu Ying said in her remarks that 2008 was an extraordinary year for China. The earthquake in Sichuan inflicted huge personal and property losses but the Chinese people demonstrated their courage, unity and perseverance.
In the same year China successfully held the Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympics during which both Chinese and British athletes did well. The Games had left China with profound legacy and brought it closer with the rest of the world.
Just hours ago China successfully launched the Shenzhou VII spaceship and the Chinese people were looking forward to the first space walk by their astronauts.
All this shows the strong momentum for growth. But it has not changed the fact that China is still a developing country and has many challenges on its way ahead. It will unswervingly continue its reform and opening-up and adhere to the foreign policy of peace.
Fu Ying said that after the Sichuan earthquake the British people showed weal and woe of the Chinese people and expressed their condolences and assistance in all possible ways. The British Government donated 2 million pounds and 2 million more came from the British people including civil servants, policemen, workers, students and even the aged and young.
The awarding ceremony was a demonstration that the Chinese Government and people would not forget the profound friendship of and contribution made by the British people for China's disaster relief. The donations would be used in an efficient, transparent and responsible way. It was planned that within 3 years normal life, production and infrastructure of the disaster areas would be resumed. John Hutton, Secretary of Business would visit Sichuan and attend meeting on reconstruction. It would be a new area of cooperation between China and Britain.
Fu Ying then presented the certificates to representatives from FCO, DFID, CBBC, Yorkshire Association, HSBC and British Food and individuals and had photos with them.
Lord Davidson congratulated China on founding anniversary and the successful launch of Shenzhou VII. He said that unity, courage and perseverance of the Chinese in face of the earthquake moved the world. The speed and efficiency of the Chinese Government to rescue and help were highly recommended both inside and outside China. The British side was willing to go through weal and woe with China.
Scott Wightman spoke for those who were presented with certificates. He said that the earthquake in Sichuan had had wide sympathy from Britain. The British people shared the feelings of the Chinese people and were ready to provide help within their means. The Britain-China relations had good momentum with deeding and widening bilateral cooperation. PM Brown met today with Premier Wen Jiabao in New York and both leaders would address the High-Level Meeting on MDGs. Britain and China would strengthen cooperation to work for progress and development of the world.
Guests congratulated China on the success of the Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympics. They thought the Games showed China's strength, vigor and vitality and showed the world a colorful China. They also congratulated on the successful launch of Shenzhou VII, a great achievement of sending man to space after US and Russia. 2008 is a year of big and happy things for China and it will help ordinary peopole to have more interest in China. There will be more enthusiasm in Britain about China.
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