(29 January)

His Excellency Robert Tieman

Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management,

Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of OPCW ,

Distinguished Guests, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Good Evening (Goedeavond) !

On behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Chinese Permanent Mission to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and also in my own name, I would like to extend my warmest welcome and heartfelt thanks to all of you for your presence. I also wish to express sincere appreciation and high respect to friends from all sectors of the Netherlands society and whom have long supported the development of China–Netherlands relations.

I arrived in the Netherlands on 9 December last year, and last week had the honor of presenting Letters of Credence to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, as well as Letter of Credentials to the Director-General of the OPCW. The Government of the Netherlands and the relevant international organizations have provided thoughtful, friendly, and efficient assistance, for which I would like to express my sincere appreciation.

Although China and the Netherlands are geographically distant, distinct cultures have given rise to a shared national temperament among our peoples. In the long fight against natural disasters, the people of the Netherlands have built dams and dikes, reclaimed land from the sea through polders, harnessing the sea and prospering by the sea. Such an enterprising, pioneering, open and pragmatic spirit is best captured by the motto on your coat of arms “Je maintiendrai” “I will remain”.

The Great Wall, built by the Chinese people over centuries, also stands as a representative symbol of the Chinese nation and an important emblem of Chinese civilization, embodying the spirit of perseverance and self-improvement, as well as the patriotic dedication, unity, and resilience of the Chinese people. These two great feats of engineering, spanning time and space, reflect each other and vividly showcase a shared spirit between the Chinese and Netherlands peoples: unyielding determination and a pioneering mindset.

In 2014, President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to the Netherlands, both sides established an Open and Pragmatic Partnership for Comprehensive Cooperation, marking a new start of our bilateral relations. In recent years, under the strategical guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Netherlands relations have entered the fast lane, with frequent high-level exchanges, fruitful practical cooperation, and tangible benefits for the people of both nations. A friendly, stable, and resilient China-Netherlands relationship is not only vital to the two countries but also of great significance to China-Europe relations and global stability and prosperity.

At present, changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. Unilateralism, Protectionism, and Hegemonism are on the rise, while deficits in peace, development, security, and trust are compounding one another, underscoring the growing urgency and significant importance of building a community with a shared future for humanity. As the Netherlands is a nation founded on trade and China remains firmly committed to expanding high-standard opening-up, both sides should honor the original aspiration of our diplomatic ties and uphold our positioning of “comprehensive partnership”.

We should work together to fortify the bulwark of multilateralism, free trade, and economic globalization, ensuring that the door of dialogue remains open and the bridge of communication remains open, while enhancing mutual understanding and bridging differences through candid exchange.

There are no fundamental conflicts of interest between China and the Netherlands, nor are there issues that cannot be properly managed. We should respond to the uncertainties of a turbulent world through the stability of our bilateral relations, and contribute China-Netherlands strength to peace and development for all humanity.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,

This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has continued its economic and social development, significantly enhanced the comprehensive national strength, steadily improved the living standards of 1.4 billion people, advanced Chinese modernization through the development of new quality productive forces, and created remarkable achievements in rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.

In 2025, China's GDP surpassed the threshold of 140 trillion Yuan, with economic growth reaching 5 percent over the previous year, which marks a successful conclusion to the 14th Five-Year Plan.

This year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. It charts a grand blueprint for China’s economic and social development in the next five years, as well as a promising vision for win-win cooperation between China and the rest of the world. China will promote high-standard opening up, create new horizons for mutually beneficial cooperation, and secure further progress in building a community with a shared future for humanity.

A China steadily advancing modernization will undoubtedly create vast opportunities for the common development of the world including the Netherlands. A China dedicated to the noble cause of peace and development will demonstrate even greater responsibility in advancing human progress.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,

Over the past fifty days, I have held intensive meetings with officials of the Netherlands government, heads of international organizations, and colleagues from other countries. I have been deeply impressed by the solid foundation, vast potential, and dynamic vitality of the cooperation between China and Netherlands, which fills me with confidence and ambition for the future of our bilateral relations.

I look forward to visiting cities and villages across the country, entering campuses and factories, and engaging with the youth and future leaders. I will also actively uphold the principle of “diplomacy for the people”, leading the Embassy continuously to serve the overseas Chinese community, enterprises, and students in the Netherlands.

In short, I will spare no effort to implement the important consensus reached by our leaders, safeguard and advance China-Netherlands relations, and ensure that our cooperation better serves the aspirations of the peoples of both countries for a better life.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

The Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse, is approaching. In Chinese culture, the horse symbolizes diligence, perseverance, and the pursuit of achievement, which also characterize China–Netherlands relations. Spring is on its way. As President Xi Jinping stated in his 2026 New Year Message: “The dream lofty, the journey long—bold strides will get us there.” Let us charge ahead like horses with courage, vitality, and energy, fight for our dreams and our happiness, and turn our great vision into beautiful realities. With the joint efforts of both sides, the peoples of China and the Netherlands will grow closer, and the friendship between our two countries will continue to deepen and renew.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

I would like to invite you to join me in a toast.

To the lasting prosperity of China and the Netherlands, and to the well-being and happiness of our two peoples.

To the enduring friendship between China and the Netherlands, may it continue to flourish for generations to come.

And to all our friends here tonight,

I wish you a very happy New Year, with good health, happiness, and every success in the year ahead.

Thank you. Cheers.