Ladies and gentlemen, friends and comrades,

As we ring out the old year and ring in the new, we are happily gathered here for the New Year reception for foreign experts of the Foreign Languages Publishing and Distribution Administration, and jointly welcome the coming of the New Year. Present at the reception are Comrade Chen Yangjing, deputy head of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, representatives of the relevant ministries and committees of the Central and state organs, Comrade Israel Epstein, member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People?s Political Consultative Conference, foreign experts of the China International Publishing Group (CIPG) and their family members, leaders of institutions under the group, and people dealing with foreign experts? affairs. On behalf of the CIPG, I would like to express our warm welcome to all our foreign experts and their family members, and all our guests. I would like to extend New Year greetings to you all and my heartfelt gratitude to all our foreign experts for their work over the past year.

2002 has been a year of great significance in China?s history. The 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held, at which the important thought of the ?Three Representatives? was enshrined as part of the Party?s guiding ideology, and the goals and program of action for the Party and the country at the new stage in the new century were put forward. The congress also elected the new Central Party leadership. It was a congress of unity, of victory, and of making new efforts. It has greatly inspired the enthusiasm of the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups. It further exhibited the good image of our Party in persevering with reform and opening-up, safeguarding world peace and promoting the common development of mankind.

2002 has also been the first year in CIPG?s second phase of reform, the emphasis of which is on greatly enhancing our capacity of publishing and distribution. Over the past twelve months, all the cadres and staff members of the CIPG have conscientiously studied and carried out Comrade Jiang Zemin?s ?May 31? speech and the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. In response to the requirements of the important thought of the ?Three Representatives,? they have firmly focused their work on the goal of CIPG?s second phase of reform, have further deepened reform and quickened the pace of development, effectively enhancing CIPG?s publishing and distribution capacity and the influence and reach of China.org.cn. Statistics show that, from January through November, the CIPG?s volume of circulation of foreign-language magazines saw an increase of 15.45 percent over the same period of last year. Foreign-language book titles increased by 18 percent, and circulation increased by 20.7 percent. The number of readers who browsed China.org.cn, a subsidiary of the CIPG, increased by 125 percent compared to the early part of this year. We have made contributions to introducing the real China to the rest of the world, and to promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people of other countries.

The CIPG would not have been able to make this progress without the support from all sides. These achievements are also the crystallization of the hard work and efforts of our foreign experts. Our foreign experts have made outstanding contributions to international communication, and played important roles. One of the key measures of CIPG?s second phase of reform is to further bring into play the role of foreign experts. In 2002, experiments were made at People?s China and China Today, where foreign experts assumed some leading positions. This proved effective in further improving the quality of our magazines. All our foreign experts are actively engaged in the work of book and magazine publishing, and the operation of China.org.cn. Besides completing a great amount of polishing work, they have been involved in reporting and other types of work, writing articles and books about China, and offering valuable suggestions and comments with respect to choice of subject, reporting, editing and designing. Their efforts have played an irreplaceable role in the international communications of the CIPG.

In 2003, the CIPG will comprehensively carry out the spirit of the 16th Party Congress, take development as our foremost task in all our work and improve our international communications. In accordance with the requirements that we ?come up with new ideas for development, make new breakthroughs in reform, break new ground in opening up and make new moves in all fields of endeavor,? we shall actively enhance the renovation and development of our international communications and make efforts to increase CIPG?s publishing and distribution capacity. Our task in 2003 will be extremely arduous. We sincerely hope that our foreign experts will continue to show their concern for our international communications undertakings, and provide good ideas for its development and innovation, work hard and make new contributions.

Now I would like to propose a toast, to the health and happiness of all present, and to the coming of the New Year. Ganbei!

(China.org.cn December 30, 2002)