On 10 February 2026, China’s Permanent Mission to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) hosted a Chinese New Year reception at IMO Headquarters. Zheng Zeguang, Chinese Ambassador to the UK and China’s Permanent Representative to the IMO, and Arsenio Dominguez, IMO Secretary-General, attended and addressed the event. Around 300 representatives from IMO Member States and the IMO Secretariat were present.

Ambassador Zheng extended festive greetings for the Year of the Horse to all guests. He thanked the IMO for its long-standing support to China and expressed appreciation for the efforts made by representatives of Member States to promote maritime cooperation between their countries and China. 

He noted that in the outgoing Year of the Snake, the world experienced profound changes and turbulence, posing serious challenges to all countries. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China overcame various challenges and pressure, fulfilled its major economic and social development goals, and brought its 14th Five-Year Plan to a successful conclusion. 

He also noted that in the upcoming Year of the Horse, China will kick-start its 15th Five-Year Plan. China will implement the strategic decisions made at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the Central Economic Work Conference, and stay the course of high-quality development. In particular, China will focus on implementing important measures to build a strong domestic market, accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, advance green and low-carbon transition, and expand high-standard opening up. China will firmly deliver its development goals, continue to share opportunities with other countries, and provide stability and certainty to the world.

Ambassador Zheng affirmed China’s commitment to upholding the international system with the UN at its core and to practising true multilateralism. China will strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the IMO Secretariat and all Member States, and work with all parties to promote cooperation on global maritime governance, protect the security and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains, and contribute to world peace, stability and development.

Secretary-General Dominguez thanked China for hosting the reception. He called on IMO Member States to act in the spirit of courage, resilience and perseverance symbolised by the horse, and to strengthen solidarity and coordination to advance international maritime undertakings.