Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Chinese New Year Celebration at the Trafalgar Square: A New World, A New Future

Deputy Mayor Debbie Weekes-Bernard,

Lord Mayor Ruth Bush,

Chairman Chu Ting Tang,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends:

Happy Chinese New Year!

It is a real delight to join you again at the Trafalgar Square to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Today is the second day of the Year of the Rat. In the Chinese tradition, rat symbolises cleverness, good luck and good fortune.

On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, I would like to extend our Chinese New Year greetings to all of you present today. I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Rat!

I want to begin by expressing my special thanks to the Greater London Authority and the Westminster City Council for their support for today's event. My thanks also go to the organiser – the London Chinatown Chinese Association – and all the volunteers for their hard work. I also want to thank the Happy Spring Festival Ensemble for the wonderful performance they are going to bring on stage later on!

This is the 18th Chinese New Year celebration at the Trafalgar Square. In the past 18 years, this annual extravaganza has been drawing an ever larger crowd.

In recent years, more than 700,000 people have taken part in this celebration every year, making it one of the most popular cultural events in London and the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia.

Today at Trafalgar Square's Chinese New Year celebration, London once again demonstrates its inclusiveness and diversity.

Chinese New Year is an important stage to celebrate both the Chinese and Western cultures.

Every year, Chinese New Year is celebrated in many cities and towns, big and small, across Britain.

In Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Portsmouth, Brighton and Newcastle, traditional Chinese songs and dances, martial arts, Chinese calligraphy and paintings share the stage with Western operas and concerts. Chinese and Britons work together to make the dragons and lions dance.

These celebrations create a warm festive atmosphere. They also showcase the beauty of harmony between different cultures. They highlight the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilisations!

Chinese New Year is also a stage to celebrate the Chinese community in Britain.

More than 200 years ago, Chinese immigrants began to settle down in the UK. Today, the Chinese community is 700,000 strong, with one third living in London. They have made their mark in catering, trade, financial services, education, scientific research and real estate. They are recognized for their professionalism, work ethic, friendliness and sense of social responsibility.

On this stage, and at last year's World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention, which was the first ever in Europe and London, the Chinese community let the world see their new image in the new era: They are ready to learn, hardworking, open and inclusive.

Chinese New Year is increasingly a stage to celebrate China-UK cooperation.

People-to-people bond holds the key to state-to-state relations. Cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation is an important driving force for China-UK relations. It is the fertile land for China-UK friendship.

Recent years have seen ever-closer exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK in education, culture, sports and tourism.

With more than 200,000 Chinese students here in this country, China is becoming an increasingly important source of international students and tourists in the UK.

Across the UK, there are 30 Confucius Institutes and 163 Confucius Classrooms.

More than 600 British schools are offering the Chinese language course.

168 flights operate between China and the UK every week, facilitating two million visits every year.

During the Chinese New Year, Chinese tourists come to the UK in large numbers for sightseeing, shopping, entertainment and visiting relatives and friends. They bring business opportunities. More importantly, they help build a closer bond between the peoples of our two countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends:

The Chinese people often say, "At festival time, one misses family and friends more than ever."

As we celebrate the Chinese New Year here in the UK, our hearts are with those back home fighting the new coronavirus, especially the people of Hubei who are on the very frontline of this battle.

The Chinese Government has gone all out to fight the disease since its outbreak. A series of prevention and control measures have been taken. President Xi Jinping has made important instructions on many occasions and called a meeting of the top leadership yesterday to map out further plans of epidemic prevention and set up a task force to address the crisis.

In face of the grave difficulties, people have shown great love to each other. The Chinese community and people from all walks of life here in the UK have expressed their sympathy and willingness to donate. We are deeply touched and greatly encouraged.

We are confident that, under the strong leadership of the Central Government of China, and with the broad support of the international community, including the UK, we have the resolve and capability to beat the virus.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends:

Rat is the first of the 12 zodiac animals. The Year of the Rat marks the beginning of a new zodiac cycle.

It also marks the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century. A new era is dawning on the world.

In particular, it opens up new prospects for China-UK relations.

This year is the fifth anniversary of the China-UK "Golden Era". China-UK relationship is standing at a new starting point. There are enormous potential and promising prospects for this relationship.

Let's work together to create a better future for China-UK relations. Let's join hands with other countries to build a more beautiful world!

Thank you!