Distinguished Guests, 

Dear Friends,

It gives me great pleasure to be here with you all to celebrate the Spring Festival. Spring Festival is China's oldest and most important traditional festival, a time for people to bid farewell to the past year and usher in the new, and to have reunion with their families. lt carries the values of peace, amity and harmony. As a universally accepted，recognized and appreciated symbol of Chinese culture, China's Spring Festival was recently inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity. On the occasion of the upcoming Spring Festival of the Year of Snake, l would like to extend, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden, our warm welcome to all the guests present here today, to express our sincere appreciation to friends from various sectors of society who have cared for and supported the development of China-Sweden relations, and to offer our best wishes to all overseas Chinese in Sweden, members from Chinese companies and institutions, Chinese students in Sweden and Swedish friends from all walks of life.

Distinguished Guests,

Dear Friends,

Over the past year, despite the changing and turbulent international environment, China has made great strides towards Chinese modernization and scored remarkable achievements in various fields.

We have made solid progress in high-quality development. In order to proactively respond to the impacts of the changing environment at home and abroad, the Chinese government has adopted a full range of policies. China’s economy has rebounded and is on an upward journey, with its GDP for 2024 estimated to pass the 130 trillion yuan mark. China continues to play its role as the biggest engine driving the world economy. New quality productive forces are being fostered steadily. New business sectors, forms and models have kept emerging. Breakthroughs have been made in many fields such as integrated circuit, artificial intelligence, and quantum communications. We have focused on expanding domestic demand, unleashing the huge market potential, stabilizing employment, and further ensuring people’s well-being. Green and low-carbon development has been further enhanced. A more beautiful China is being built with the joint efforts of billions of Chinese people.

We have deepened reform and opening up across the board. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. Lt set the overall objectives of continuing to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China's system and capacity for governance. lt put forward over 300 important reform measures. This demonstrates China's firm resolve to promote high-quality development and high-standard opening up, and sends out a clear message that China's economy will stay on a steady and upward trajectory for the long haul and will provide strong momentum for world economic recovery and global sustainable development.

We have been actively engaged in cooperation with other countries. The Conference Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation were successfully held. President Xi Jinping made fruitful visits to Europe, to Central Asia, for the BRlCS Summit, and to Latin America. We have been actively promoting global governance reform and working together with other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative have gained extensive support. We have made deeper and more substantive advances in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, held a number of major expos to boost economic and trade cooperation with other countries, and eased and improved the visa policy for foreign travelers, steadily promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and bringing vast opportunities for the modernization of all countries in the world.

In 2025, we will continue to forge ahead with resolve and tenacity, promote Chinese modernization with high-quality development,fuel common development of the world with high-standard opening up, and make new and greater contributions to the peace and progress of humanity.

Distinguished Guests,

Dear Friends,

Over the past year, China-Sweden relations have been growing steadily, with notable progress made in various areas of cooperation. Bilatera delegation exchanges have become increasingly active. Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Sweden Benjamin Dousa attended the China International Import Expo (CllE) and paid a successful visit to China. Economic and trade cooperation was advanced steadily, and bilateral trade remained stable. The number of companies participating in the CllE hit a new high, Cooperation on scientific and technological innovation was bursting with vitality. The China-Sweden Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation wa ssuccessfully held. Sci-tech innovation exchanges between the two countries became more active. We also enjoyed closer and more frequent people-to-people exchanges. Many Chinese cultural events held in Sweden received wide acclaim. The number of Chinese students studying in Sweden was on the rise. The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sweden. We stand ready to work with the Swedish side to further strengthen friendly exchanges, deepen practical cooperation across the board, and move the bilateral relations forward, so as to deliver greater benefits to our two countries and peoples.

Distinguished Guests,

Dear Friends,

Over the past year, the overseas Chinese in Sweden rooted themselves locally and worked hard, playing a positive role in strengthening the friendship, exchanges and cooperation between our two countries.l wish to pay my sincere tribute to all of you. l hope that in the new year, you will build on the good momentum, help and support each other, abide by laws and regulations, give full play to your strengths, actively integrate into the local community, play a better role as a bridge linking China and Sweden, continue to act as the facilitator for mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries and promoter of friendship between our two peoples, and make bigger contributions to the development of China-Sweden relations.

Distinguished Guests,

Dear Friends,

Today, the artists from the China National Opera House and the Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra will present us with a wonderful performance that perfectly blends the artistic rhythm and cultural charm of the East and West.I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to the artists and wish the performance a full success.

To conclude, l wish all of us a smooth and successful year filled with good fortune and happiness.l wish China and Sweden prosperity, our people happiness and good health, and China-Sweden relations ever greater development. Thank you!