Remarks by Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong at the Reception to Celebrate the 76th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China

Your Respected Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of India,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

Good evening and Namaste!

It is my great pleasure to be with you here to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. I would like to extend my warmest welcome to you all, and my heartfelt thanks to all the friends who have longstanding interest in China's development and supported China-India friendship.

Over the past 76 years, the Communist Party of China has continuously strengthened and improved itself with the courage of self-reform, united and led the Chinese people to achieve a great transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, and embarked on a new journey to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

China has sustained steady economic growth, achieving a stronger-than-expected 5.3% GDP growth in the first half of this year and contributing around 30% to global growth. China has made continuous breakthroughs and leaps in innovation, with its technologies in green energy and advanced manufacturing now leading the world. Chinese electric vehicles are serving millions of households. China has made remarkable achievement in poverty alleviation, lifting nearly 100 million impoverished rural residents out of poverty in the past decade and hitting the poverty reduction target of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. China has promoted opening-up with firm resolve. In the first half of 2025, over 30,000 foreign-invested companies were newly established in China, up by 11.7% year-on-year. Major trade events such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the Canton Fair, and the China International Import Expo are held one after another, offering more cooperation opportunities for countries around the world.

Over the past 76 years, China has demonstrated our sense of responsibility as a major country through concrete actions, and made important contributions to world peace and development. Not long ago, China hosted the largest and most fruitful summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to date. Leaders from 23 countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and 10 heads of international organizations gathered in Tianjin to jointly advance cooperation and promote common development. At the summit, President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed the Global Governance Initiative, calling for adherence to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach, and focusing on taking real actions, contributing China's wisdom and solution to address the global governance deficit.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Over the past 75 years, despite the ups and downs, the relationship is overwhelmingly defined by friendly cooperation. Recently, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a successful meeting in Tianjin, which leads China-India relations to a new level of improvement. We stand ready to work with the Indian side to follow the guidance of the important common understandings between our two leaders, and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development.

First, we should uphold a strategic perspective. As two major ancient civilizations and large developing countries, the relationship between China and India has transcended bilateral scope and bears global and strategic significance. The two sides should aim high, plan for the long term, and find the right way to get along with each other in the spirit of mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, common development and win-win cooperation.

Second, we should expand friendly cooperation. China-India economic and trade cooperation continues to expand and has great potential. From January to August this year, bilateral trade in goods grew 10.4% year on year to 102 billion USD. China stands ready to work with India to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields and make a bigger pie of common interests. China has resumed the pilgrimage for Indian pilgrims to the sacred mountain and holy lake in China's Xizang Autonomous Region. More than 700 official pilgrims and nearly 20,000 private pilgrims have fulfilled their life-long dreams this year. By September 22nd, the Chinese embassy and consulates in India have issued over 265,000 visas to Indian citizens. We are ready to advance friendly exchanges with India at all levels and in all sectors, and further deepen mutual understanding and friendship.

Third, we should maintain dialogue and communication. Bridging differences through dialogue has always been the important key to advancing China-India relations. We should  carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and truly respect each other's core interests and major concerns. We should not allow the boundary question that was left over from the past to define the current China-India relations, nor let specific differences affect comprehensive bilateral cooperation.

Fourth, we should strengthen multilateral coordination. This year marks the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years ago, China and India share a history of resisting fascism and fighting for national independence and liberation. Eighty years on, it is all the more important that we carry forward the great spirit forged during the War of Resistance, firmly oppose hegemony, power politics,  and any form of tariff and trade wars, jointly defend the common interests of the Global South, and build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With the monsoon season now almost behind us, we are ready to embrace the busy Rabi sowing season. Let us join hands and work diligently to bear more fruits in our friendly relations and bring greater benefits to the two countries and peoples.

Finally, please allow me to propose a toast:

To the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China,

To the friendship and cooperation between China and India!

Cheers!

Thank you all!