Your Honorable Mr. EDUARDO DE VEGA, Undersecretary of Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs,

Your Honorable Mr. YIRU LETU, Head of Inner Mongolia Delegation,

Your Honorable Mr. DANTE CHUA, Chairman of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Association of the Philippines,

Distinguished Guests, and Dear Members of Chinese Communities,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mabuhay! It is my great pleasure to be here again for this episode of the Chinese Cultural Courier @ the Philippines, joining you all to relish and delve into the vibrant tapestry of Chinese culture.

On behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, let me begin by extending a warm welcome to Chinese delegation from the Inner Mongolia. Alongside my hearty greetings and good wishes to everyone in attendance today, I want also to thank the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Association of the Philippines and other stakeholders who have made this event possible.

The 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee convened not long ago, has outlined efforts for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. It is nothing less than China’s commitment to continuous reform and opening-up, and the pulse the country stays on to promote high-quality development and high-standard opening-up as well.

In this context, China is consistent in embracing the world with a more open posture. There are stronger connections with the rest of the world thanks to expanding visa-free access and implementation of the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy for 54 foreign countries. China recorded 14.64 million inbound trips by foreigners in the first half of this year, up by 152.7% year on year. Lately, various travel videos tagged “China Travel” have gone viral on social media, which leads to increasing exposure of China’s unique charm, and more importantly, an open and inclusive Chinese society and the hospitable Chinese people. This is happening because of aspiration for mutual understanding and exchanges not only between peoples but also across civilizations.

Thriving on both vast land and sea, China has been a multi-ethnic country, with a rich heritage of its own civilization based on agricultural, nomadic and marine lifestyles. Since its inception early in 2022, the Chinese Cultural Courier @ the Philippines has presented about 10 amazing theme activities, showcasing some highlights of Chinese civilization that include Minnan culture, Wuyue culture and Zhongyuan culture, etc. Now, the focus has been shifted to the beautiful and endless grassland of the Inner Mongolia, where local people boast of their own cultural excellence, a cherished distinctiveness born and bred in the nomadic environment through the ages. Prioritizing eco-environmental conservation and pursuing green development, Inner Mongolia has undergone transformations over past years. It has turned barren deserts into oasis while still driving the growth of the regional economy, enabling itself to serve as the forefront of China’s opening-up in the Eurasian hinterland.

This evening, the Ulan Muqir will take center stage, and bring closer to us the grassland culture through dancing, singing, playing instrument and photography. There is an ongoing effort to present this region’s latest development to the Philippines, and enable more Filipinos to get a real feel of ethnic diversity in China.

Without further ado, let’s enjoy the show, and I wish all of you a pleasant evening here.

Thank you!