The country is the people and the people are the country. The 72 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China have been a heroic feat of arduous and fruitless struggles in the face of thousands of obstacles and setbacks to improve the living conditions of the people.
New China, which suffered from extreme resource scarcity and fatal poverty, has now completed the comprehensive construction of a modestly affluent society, with absolute poverty historically resolved. The average life expectancy of the 1.4 billion people is 77.3 years. The life of the people in general is increasingly prosperous, the feeling of profit, happiness and security is steadily increasing, and the rights to survival and development are effectively guaranteed. All this is not only China’s success, but also a contribution to the cause of development and human rights of all mankind.
Over the past year, amid severe impacts such as the pandemic of the century and political viruses, putting people and life above all else, we have again and again quelled Covid-19 outbreaks, ensuring the stable and lasting recovery of the economy, as well as reaping countless disruptions or scientific achievements.
With the solemn celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have launched the new expedition for the comprehensive construction of a powerful modern socialist country.
China always strives to uphold the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind and promote the construction of the community of shared future, making its own contributions to the development and progress of mankind. Convinced that the most powerful weapon to win the pandemic is the solidarity and cooperation of the international community, we have taken the vaccine as a global public good and do everything possible to ensure the supply to the world. We prioritize ecology, taking effective measures in favor of green and low-carbon development. Firmly adhering to the path of peaceful development, we are staunchly opposed to unilateralism, hegemonism and power politics.
Sino-Dominican relations made steady progress in 2021 on the basis of respect, equality and mutual benefit, with many bright spots.
The successful phone call between President Xi Jinping and President Luis Abinader defined the course of bilateral relations by injecting new driving force. Exchanges at the executive and legislative levels are smooth, and thanks to this, the one-China principle has been upheld. In the period of pressing demand, China overcame its own difficulties to supply more than 15 million doses of vaccines to the Dominican Republic in 11 batches. The “China-Dominican Republic Virtual Trade and Investment Forum” was held, in which we agreed on the creation of the China-Dominican Republic Business Committee. From January to August, trade volume reached a 64% growth over the previous year. At the same time, exports to China of Dominican products with high added value, such as medical and electrical equipment, have registered an increase of 45%.
Throughout the year, China donated motorcycles, command vehicles and a sugar cane harvester, and signed a new Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement with the Dominican side. Eleven online training courses have been organized and more scholarships have been granted to Dominican students. The cereal food solidarity project has benefited a total of 150,000 needy people in 9 Dominican provinces, and due to the African swine fever, the Chinese government has made a donation as a token of support. The first Huawei ICT Academy was founded at the Instituto Tecnológico de las Américas (ITLA). Dominican cities such as Santo Domingo, Samaná and Salcedo have established twinning agreements with Chinese provinces or cities. A mutual visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and service passport holders came into effect, facilitating the exchange of personnel.
Embracing multilateralism, equity and justice, we have maintained coordination and cooperation in the United Nations as well as in other multilateral organizations, opposing unilateralism and interventionist acts.
The facts demonstrate that the establishment of our diplomatic relations corresponds to the fundamental interests of the two countries. Over the course of more than three years, we have hit several impressive home runs hand in hand, giving these relations a solid social and popular base and a broad development perspective.
Dominican Republic is a country marked by “open arms”. China is dedicated to a higher level of openness. Let us continue, let us continue to move forward, to give a stronger embrace that will bring strength and benefit to our dear peoples.