Ambassador Yu Dunhai
Esteemed Guests
Malta and China continue to sustain close cooperation and have in recent years strengthened economic, and cultural relations.
In celebration of the Chinese New Year, this year, the year of the Tiger, I recall our fond and cherished friendship and look forward for increased dialogue and collaboration.
The qualities of the Tiger, denoting characteristics linked with bravery, competitiveness, unpredictability, and confidence, could act as a guiding principle for the upcoming months.
As we continue to fight this unprecedented challenge of a virulent virus, we should look at the bravery and confidence of the Tiger to push forward our post-pandemic recovery plans. Nonetheless, instead of adopting competitive and unpredictable measures, let us seek strength in our shared vision and capabilities. Instead of curtailing the spread of medicinal products and equipment, let us join our forces to promote a humanitarian approach and ensure no one is left behind.
Let us act competitive in our journey towards promoting sustainable development, social justice, and environmental equity. Following years of status quo in the climate change and sustainability fields, let us act in an unpredictable way by choosing health and justice, over economic politics of greed.
I am pleased to observe that both Malta and China, although situated in different parts of the globe, and presenting huge differences in terms of geographical size, GDP and population, have always been committed to respect each other’s sovereignty, and culture, whilst exchanging best practices in full respect of universally shared values of tolerance and peace.
These sentiments have been well represented by Your Excellency, Ambassador Dunhai, in a recently penned article on a local newspapers and have also formed the basis of my recent phone call with President Xi Jinping. To further strengthen dialogue, I gladly welcomed President Xi Jinping’s invitation and opportunity to visit China on an official visit in the not-too-distant future.
In the year 2022, I augur our respective peoples will have increased opportunity to interact, meet and learn from one another. That is why I hope my upcoming visit to China later this year, will act as a catalyst to enhance technical, diplomatic and commercial relations between our two countries.
Happy New Year of the Tiger!