On May 9, Consul General Fang Xinwen attended and delivered remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the 33rd Council of the Federation of Chinese Associations Victoria(FCA) and the launch ceremony of the “Victorian Chinese Excellence” Awards Program. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan delivered a video address. Australian federal MPs Gabriel Ng and Matt Gregg, Victorian Minister for Local Government, Youth Justice and Corrections, Paul Hamer representing the Premier, Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, more than 10 state parliamentarians, President of FCA Derrick Chen, as well as over 500 representatives from the Chinese community and business sector in Victoria attended the event.

Consul General Fang congratulated the newly inaugurated council of the FCA and spoke highly of the FCA’s contributions to promoting and preserving Chinese cultural heritage, advancing multiculturalism in Victoria, and strengthening people-to-people friendship and exchanges between China and Australia. He expressed hope that the FCA would continue to play a leading role as a bridge linking communities and fostering cooperation. Consul General Fang also highlighted recent developments in China-Australia relations and high-level exchanges between the two countries, expressing confidence that bilateral exchanges and cooperation across various fields would continue to achieve new progress.

In their remarks, Premier Jacinta Allan and other distinguished guests congratulated the organizers on the successful event and highly commended the Chinese community’s longstanding contributions to Victoria’s economic and social development as well as to the state’s multicultural society.

The event was marked by a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere, with guests witnessing the inauguration of the FCA’s new council and the official launch of the “Victorian Chinese Excellence” Awards Program.