I am pleased to learn that the Chinese Consulate-General in Mumbai has compiled and published the anthology “Grand Centennial, Connecting People”. I would like to express my sincere congratulations on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in India. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), it is very meaningful and timely for friends from China and India to jointly write articles to share experience on poverty alleviation and development, record local economic, trade and cultural exchanges and renew China-India friendship.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Over the past century, the CPC led the Chinese people in forging ahead and striving unremittingly to achieve great victories in revolution, construction, and reform. China has grown from a poor and backward country with a weak foundation into the world’s second largest economy and the largest trader in goods, delivering initial prosperity to its people who were once struggling to meet their basic living needs. China has fed nearly 20% of the world’s population with 9% of the world’s arable land, and over 850 million people have been lifted out of poverty. The middle-income group has grown to over 400 million people. Polls for many consecutive years have shown that the approval and satisfaction rating of the Chinese government among the Chinese people has exceeded 90 percent, consistently ranking first in the world. However, it should also be noted that China’s status as the world’s largest developing country has not changed. China’s per capita GDP is still at the level of middle-income countries. We still have a long way to go, and need to continue working tirelessly to deliver a better life for the people.
The aspiration and mission of the CPC has always been consistent, that is, to seek happiness for the Chinese people, rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, and the common good for the world. China has been committed to an independent foreign policy of peace. China’s development and growth does not rely on foreign expansion and colonial plunder, but on hard work of all the people. This year marks the launch of the “14th Five-Year Plan”. China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and is now marching towards the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of the 21st century. We will continue to promote high-quality development, carry out opening-up in more fields, with broader range and greater depth, and engage in more mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with other countries, so that China can contribute more to the world with its own development. As the only two major developing countries in the world with a population of more than 1 billion, China and India have huge potential for cooperation, especially in the areas of development and poverty reduction. Friends from China and India have shared their respective experience in development and poverty alleviation in the book, which is conducive to mutual learning and common progress.
The consular district of the Chinese Consulate-General in Mumbai is located in the southwestern coastal area of India, which is the forefront of India’s economic development. It has a well-known economic, financial, cultural and art center, Mumbai. The states in the consular district have carried out various local exchanges and cooperation with China. The place is also the hometown of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, who is a monument to China-India friendship. His humanitarian spirit of rescuing the dying and healing the wounded, heroic spirit with no fear for sacrifice and noble spirit of internationalism are still inspiring us to this day. This collection of essays by friends of the two countries who care for and support the cause of China-India friendship is an accurate portrayal of the traditional friendship between China and India.
The COVID-19 pandemic once again tells us that the destiny of humanity is more closely linked than ever before. After the outbreak of the second wave of the pandemic in India, China was one of the first countries to provide support and help to India and take actions. Human life is the most precious. In India’s fight against the pandemic, China has never been absent, let alone stood idly by. Many Chinese companies and institutions have donated anti-epidemic materials to India. Chinese workers worked day and night to ensure the supply of urgently needed medical supplies for India, building a bridge of life for Indian patients in urgent need.
It is challenging to compile and publish the anthology in the midst of the pandemic. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere greetings to my colleagues of the Chinese Consulate-General in Mumbai who stuck to their duty, and my heartfelt thanks to friends from all walks of life in the consular district who have been committed to the cause of China-India friendship. I believe that the anthology will help forge consensus among people from various sectors in both countries and contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and trust and promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and India.