Vice Minister Shen Haixiong,

President Yang Wanming,

President Wang Liqin,

Mayor Anders Ibsen,

President Karl Hoseth,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Good afternoon! It is a great pleasure to celebrate the Spring Festival with you as the Year of the Horse draws near. As the most important traditional festival of the Chinese nation, the Spring Festival marks the return of spring and the renewal of life. Likewise, ping-pong diplomacy 55 years ago was also ice-breaking, opening the door to friendly exchanges between our two peoples and the development of bilateral relations. Today’s event, therefore, is especially meaningful, as it not only celebrates the upcoming festival but also revisits that beautiful episode. I would like to thank the China Media Group for its thoughtful organization.

As we are about to ring out the old and ring in the new, China-U.S. relations are facing both new opportunities and multiple challenges. How can we inject more energy into bilateral relations in the coming year and also in the years ahead, lay the groundwork for a harvest, and help our two countries find a right way to get along in the new era? I would like to share four proposals.

First, we need to follow the guidance of heads-of-state diplomacy, and keep bilateral relations on the right track. In 2025, President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump spoke on the phone four times, exchanged several letters, and held a successful summit in Busan, the Republic of Korea, recalibrating the course of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations at crucial moments. The coming year could see a series of high-level interactions between our countries. Our two sides need to work together to create an enabling atmosphere, deliver more outcomes, and further stabilize and advance China-U.S. relations at the strategic level.   

Second, we need to properly manage differences and eliminate obstacles to the development of bilateral relations. The common interests between our two countries far outweigh our differences. We should not allow differences to define our relations, nor should we let sensitive issues disrupt the overall relationship. The U.S. side should respect China’s core interests and major concerns. The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, and is the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations. We hope the U.S. side will abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques with real action.

Third, we need to actively expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and provide stronger momentum for developing bilateral relations. Mutual benefit is the essence of China-U.S. relations. In the past year, our economic and trade teams held five rounds of consultations, and reached extensive common understandings on addressing prominent issues in economy and trade. This has proven once again that dialogue is better than confrontation.

This year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. As we take solid steps to pursue Chinese modernization, it will bring greater opportunities and benefits to all countries, including the United States. Our two countries can further tap into the potential of cooperation and encourage partnerships in areas such as economy and trade, combating illegal immigrants, telecom fraud and money laundering, artificial intelligence, and healthcare.  

Fourth, we need to strengthen the bonds between our peoples by enhancing friendly interactions. The hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people. Our two peoples reached out to each other in ping-pong diplomacy. That spirit is now being renewed through new forms such as pickleball diplomacy and basketball diplomacy. More than 40,000 young Americans, including students from Lincoln High School, have visited China for exchanges and studies under the “50,000 in five years” initiative, and become envoys of goodwill across the Pacific. In recent days, many American netizens are posting on social media their moments of “becoming Chinese”. We warmly welcome you all to watch the Spring Festival Gala together with the Chinese people, share our festive joy, and experience the Chinese style.

Dear friends,

As the new year begins, let us also start anew. It is our hope that in the Year of the Horse, under the strategic guidance of our Presidents, China and the U.S. will adhere to the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, act with the drive, aspiration and vigor of the horse, and turn the grand vision for bilateral relations into a win-win reality, so as to bring more tangible benefits to our peoples and instill more stability and positive energy into the world.

Wishing all of you a head start and every success in the Year of the Horse! Thank you.