Remarks by Hon’ble Sujata Koirala at Renmin University on Dec1, 2017

Honourable Chairperson,

Distinguished faculty members,

All the participants and dear students,

I am honoured and privileged to be here before an enlightened and enthusiastic audience at this prestigious Renmin University of China.

I am grateful to know that Renmin University is a vibrant centre for research and studies on humanities and social science.

I would like to express my gratitude to the organizing committee for the kind invitation and cordial hospitality extended to me.

Distinguished academicians and students,

Speaking with learned personalities is indeed a great opportunity.

Speaking on a topic as vast and significant as socialism and new era is really a great challenge.

Speaking on President Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics presents a unique opportunity to understand common development agenda for an inter-connected and contemporary world.

In ancient time, the great Chinese philosopher Confucius articulated the values of social codes and social interaction. He introduced humanist ideas that embrace truth and virtue, honour and merit to pursue self-improvement.

The traditional values of exchange and friendship are deep-rooted in Chinese teachings and therefore Socialism with Chinese characteristics has become instrumental in promoting harmony among nations.

Service to the public, good governance at every level, from politics to economics, and notions of harmony and benevolence are well placed in Chinese civilization and socialist thinking.

The great Chinese wisdom is founded on its rich cultural heritage that has evolved through Chinese characters emanating from the nature itself. That’s why, I feel that goodwill and harmony, peace and tranquility, are deep-rooted in socialist policy in China.

I believe that culture teaches us to be compassionate and kind, inspiring us to embrace societal values and take up historical responsibility towards a common future of the humankind.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we see it, China has reached an important stage of development through consolidation of people’s power, from rural areas to the cities, creating synergy for common good.

China embarked on phases of industrial revolution, accelerated economic development and now on a confident and pragmatic path towards becoming the global superpower.

Your great country continued having great visionary leaders like Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Xi Jinping among others to lead the robust development path.

Over the last several decades, China’s phenomenal economic progress remained unparalleled in the world providing inspiration not only for other developing countries but for developed countries too.

Today, Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics clearly heralds a new era placing China as a leader of globalized world confidently equipped to attain the status of a great power.

It is a matter of great delight that the 19th congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) unanimously endorsed President Xi’s thought last month in October 2017.

I believe that his thought has come at the right time as the world is in need of consolidation of positive impacts of globalization.

He has outlined a vision of inclusive development for the benefit of every one and cautioned against pursuing own interest at the expense of others.

This is a vision of shared prosperity and innovative way towards promotion of high-standard of liberalization, fairer trade, productive investment and sustainable development.

It is a scientific outlook on development that has embraced the very Chinese notion of becoming culturally advanced and harmonious society as a flag bearer of the success of socialism.

It has charted the way in order to realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and socio-economic and creative transformation.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear students,

As experts and analysts are debating on the pros and cons of the globalization in the face of emerging protectionist pressure in the western countries, Xi Jinping’s thought has injected a new dynamism to making fair globalization and strengthening the essence of cooperative international relations.

I believe that his thought has reshaped centrality of China’s peaceful and progressive rise by fostering cooperative relations for sustainable development, shared prosperity and peaceful society in the world.

Xi Jingping’s thought has spread the notion of right approach to development and sustained growth. His adoption of zero tolerance policy to control corruption has promoted good governance at home, brought in efficiency in delivery of services to the people and maintained integrity and stability in political environment.

More than 60 million people have been lifted out of poverty during the last couple of years. And, indeed it is a matter of great inspiration that China is on right track to alleviating poverty by 2020 and becoming a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

China has already attained the status of the second largest world economy, contributing to about 30 percent of global economic growth.

As the Chinese people would attain a moderately prosperous standard of life, it has been projected that more than 700 million Chinese will be on the move as outbound tourists.

The Chinese tourists would greatly contribute to reviving world tourism and world economies helping to create jobs and expanding business outreach.

Tourism sector would promote greater understanding among civilizations and build linkages among societies reflecting the values of co-existence and shared development.

Thanks to President Xi’s well-articulated development vision, China is marching with long-term objectives of becoming a global leader in innovation by 2035, and a greatly advanced modern socialist country by 2050.

China is staying the course of achieving GDP growth rate of 6.5 percent for the current five-year plan period of 2016 to 2020 and transforming its growth propelled by advancement of world class science and technology and energy efficiency.

The positive impact of Xi Jinping though on socialism with Chinese characteristics has been evident on sustained economic development process. The stable economic growth of China is accompanied by political stability and development miracle.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) introduced by President Xi has mainstreamed diplomacy for development thus building a new platform for international cooperation and collaboration, innovation and integration and mutual benefits and peaceful co-existence.

Opening up of China eastward and westward, land and sea, has stimulated business partnership and intensified political engagement.

With growing prosperity, China is willing to share its economic development, through connectivity projects, increased trade and deepening people-to-people contact.

I believe that the BRI would become instrumental in addressing development imbalance, realizing long-term infrastructure development projects and connecting and integrating the entire country through rapid and sophisticated transportation networks.

As I see the youthful aspiration of China, obviously represented by brilliant students right here at Renmin University, China is becoming the engine for global growth and source of shared prosperity for all.

With tireless efforts, hardworking motivation, and pragmatic approach to sustainable development, China is spreading the value of productive work in bringing quality in standard of life, not only for you, but also for the world.

Peace, stabilty and development are unambiguous aspiration of all people across the globe. We have been facing the impacts of climate change that we need to tackle if we are to leave a better world for our coming generation. We need to reduce the widening development and technological gap and we need to create conditions for win-win developing transformation.

Global governance is critical in expanding cooperation and pursuing common development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can only be achieved if we all join together for sound and green development. Eradication of world poverty by 2030 requires coordinated action and continued development partnership.

I understand that President Xi’s thought on all round human development and inclusive social progress is well articulated to enhance global partnership for development.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

Let me now briefly talk about Nepal-China relations.

Our two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1955. Political relations have greatly contributed to the deepening of bilateral cooperation and everlasting friendship.

Back in 1960, when Nepal’s visionary leader and first elected Prime Minister of Nepal late B.P Koirala visited China, he said that Nepal and China enjoy close relations, commitment to peaceful co-existence and determination to strengthen these relations as an example of peace and friendship. That notion has always prevailed between our two countries and the peoples.

In the same way, Nepal’s legendary political leader and my beloved father, Girija Prasad Koirala, always advocated for the consolidation of strong bonds of friendship and mutual trust between the two countries.

In his official visit to China in 1992 as Prime Minister of Nepal, Girijababu underlined that there was no misgiving or confusion in the cordial ties between our two countries. He reiterated Nepal’s One China Policy and maintained high-level interactions with political leadership. His visit expanded ways and means of economic and technical cooperation between Nepal and China.

Nepal has recently joined the Belt and Road Initiative of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The two countries signed a MoU on cooperation related to the Belt and Road Initiative in May 2017.

Under the BRI, the two countries have enormous potentials in promoting border trade, transportation connectivity, tourism cooperation as well as people to people relations. Cross-border railway project, transmission lines and hydropower and irrigation development projects are some of the potential infrastructure projects.

China is Nepal’s key development partner, particularly in development of infrastructure projects. China is our second largest trading partner. Our relation is characterized by historical people to people connections.

As you all know, Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in Nepal, is a prime destination for many cultural and religious tourists from China.

I am very happy to note that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal is growing every year. More than one hundred thousand Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2016.

Nepal and China relations have flourished over centuries through these values of friendship and culture exchange.

Buddhism has taught us to be compassionate and explore true friendship by following the noble path of wisdom, morality and concentration. Cultural exchanges have helped us to strengthen the bonds of harmony and cooperation.

Nepal and China enjoy that true friendship, undoubtedly. The two countries and peoples are linked by geography, history, culture, and socio-economic cooperation.

Our relations are as confident as the tallest peak of the world Mount Everest. Our friendship has always remained strong as it is characterized by mutual respect, trust and understanding of each other peoples.

I am confident that our youths, here in China and back in Nepal, have all that enthusiasm and determination to bolster these cooperative relations, from strength to strength, for mutual benefits, in the days ahead.

Once again, I thank the organizing committee of the Renmin University, all the faculty members, professors and staff and dear students for giving me the opportunity to speak with you. I am extremely grateful to you all for your kind attention.

Thank you very much.

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