On September 28th, H. E. Ambassador Wei Ruixing and his wife, Madam Gu Yaoqin, hosted a reception to celebrate the 66th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China at Vilnius Radisson Blue Hotel. About 300 people, including government officials, members of the EU Parliament and the Lithuanian Seimas, leaders of the commercial and business community, members of the Diplomatic Corps and representatives of the Chinese community in Lithuania, attended the reception. Among them are H. E. Prime Minister Algirdas Betkevicius and his wife, Mr. Alminas Maciulis, Chancellor of the Government, Mrs. Rimante Salaseviciute, Minister of Health, Mr. Jaroslav Narkevic and Mr. Algirdas Sysas, Deputy Speakers, Mr. Benediktas Juodka, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas, and Director General and Deputy Director Generals of Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists.

H. E. Ambassador Wei addressed the reception. He reviewed the glorious 66 years since the Founding of the People's Republic of China, highlighing the remarkable achievements China has made in economic development and social undertakings. He said that China's development can not be separated from the world while the development of the world also needs China, stressing that China will firmly follow the road of peaceful development, continue to implement the strategy of opening to the outside world for mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, and is ready to work together with the rest of the world for peaceful international environment and common prosperity.

The Ambassador said that the past 24 years since China and Lithuania established diplomatic relations witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, promotion of mutual understanding and mutual trust and fruitful exchange and cooperation in various fields. Since the beginning of this year, China-Lithuania relations have made much headway with the joint efforts of both sides. In June, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli paid a successful official visit to Lithuania, giving a new impetus to the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. The exchanges and cooperation in the field of education, culture, health, agriculture, transport and logistics have yielded fruitful results. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Lithuania. The Chinese Government is ready to take this occasion as an opportunity to work with the Lithuanian Government and people to expand and deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, so as to ensure the healthy and sound development of the bilateral relations and lift the bilateral ties to a higher level.

The guests applauded China's remarkable economic and social development, commended the important role China has been playing in international affairs, and expressed that they will make unremitting efforts to promote the friendly and cooperative relations between China and Lithuania. The reception went on in a warm and friendly atmosphere.