On June 1, 2025, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Cui Aimin attended the concert reception hosted by the Embassy to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Sweden and delivered remarks. The full text is as follows:
Your Excellency State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Dag Hartelius,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Good evening!
Today, we gather here with joy to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Sweden, and to commemorate this historic moment in China-Sweden relations!
Together for 75 years, through seasons of blossom and harvest, our joint efforts have borne rich fruits. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Sweden relations have weathered winds and rains and kept moving forward on the whole. Together, our two countries have written a beautiful chapter of mutual achievement and common development between countries from the East and the West with different civilizations, different systems and different development levels. Through active communication and dialogue, as well as continued exchanges and cooperation, we have forged a deep and enduring friendship, achieved numerous highlights in various areas of collaboration, and painted a splendid picture of shared progress.
Over the past 75 years, political mutual trust between our two countries has been continuously cemented. With the care and nurturing of generations of leaders from both countries, our two sides have worked to enhance communication and mutual understanding, actively carried out cooperation across the board, jointly addressed global challenges, and promoted the steady development of bilateral relations amid the changing international landscape.
Over the past 75 years, practical cooperation between our two countries has deepened and expanded. For many years, China and Sweden have remained each other's largest trading partner in Asia and the Nordic region respectively. Bilateral trade has grown from less than 3 million US dollars at the beginning of diplomatic ties to 18.9 billion US dollars in 2024, a remarkable surge of 6,300 times. Enterprises from both countries have made solid progress in cooperation in areas such as automobile manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental protection, and smart cities. Universities and research institutions have strengthened dialogue and cooperation in fields including natural sciences, engineering and technology, and artificial intelligence, injecting sustained vitality into the economic and social development of both nations.
Over the past 75 years, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between our two countries have borne fruitful results. Cooperation in culture, education, tourism and other areas has deepened, continuously promoting mutual learning and mutual advancement of Eastern and Western civilizations. Sweden has become the top choice for Chinese students in the Nordic region and a favored destination for Chinese tourists. The Swedish people show great interest in traditional Chinese culture, actively participating in various activities such as Chinese food festivals, art exhibitions, and cultural performances. The tree of China-Sweden friendship continues to flourish.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Looking back on the 75-year history of China-Sweden relations, the most important foundation has been mutual respect, the most valuable experience has been independence and self-reliance, the strongest driving force has been mutual benefit, and the most effective pathway has been exchanges and cooperation. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, we are ready to work with the Swedish side to draw wisdom from history, seize the opportunities of our times, carry forward our traditional friendship, strengthen communication and cooperation, and write a new chapter of better mutual understanding, deeper friendship, and greater shared prosperity of the Chinese and Swedish peoples.
First, we should stay committed to treating each other with sincerity, and jointly act as practitioners of mutual respect and mutual trust. Amid an international landscape full of changes and instability, we should continue to uphold the commitments we made when establishing diplomatic relations, and view each other as partners and opportunities, rather than threats to our own development. We should strengthen policy communication and increase understanding and mutual trust on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and earnestly accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. Together, we can consolidate the foundation for the healthy and stable development of China-Sweden relations and make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Second, we should stay committed to upholding fundamental principles while breaking new ground, and jointly act as promoters of mutually beneficial cooperation. China’s high-quality development has brought new opportunities to the world, and its high-standard opening up has injected new impetus into the global economy. China and Sweden share similar visions for development, complementary industrial advantages, and broad prospects for cooperation. We need to cement the foundation of traditional economic and trade cooperation, take green transition as the defining feature of our cooperation, make the pie of common interests bigger, so as to empower our two countries to better realize win-win outcomes, and bring more benefits to our two peoples.
Third, we should stay committed to openness and inclusiveness, and jointly act as advocates of mutual learning among civilizations. We should continue to enhance exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, sports, tourism and other fields, strengthen personnel exchanges among think tanks, media outlets and youth, continue to write the touching story of friendship between the Chinese and Swedish peoples, build stronger bonds for the development of bilateral relations, and continuously promote people-to-people connectivity. Recently, China has introduced a series of new measures to facilitate visits by foreign travelers to China. We sincerely welcome friends from Sweden to come and explore China firsthand.
Fourth, we should stay committed to a global vision, and jointly act as defenders of multilateralism. Both China and Sweden are proponents of multilateralism and free trade, sharing broad consensus on addressing global challenges such as climate change, protectionism and public health. Our two sides should enhance solidarity and cooperation, jointly guard against the countercurrents of unilateralism and the law of the jungle, firmly safeguard our own legitimate rights and interests and the common interests of the international community, and inject more stability and certainty into the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Tonight, we will enjoy a special concert presented by artists from the Central Conservatory of Music and other institutions. Let's listen to the echoes of the artistic heritage that has been passed down through the ages and feel the unique charm of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to all the Chinese and Swedish artists and I wish this performance a full success.
To conclude, may our two countries prosper and flourish, our people enjoy well-being and happiness, and our friendship last forever!
Thank you!