Mr Gabriel Ng MP，Federal Member for Menzies，

Mr. John Mullahy MP，Representing the government of Victoria,

Mr Richard Welch MP, Representating the Victorian Opposition Party，

Cr Peter Allan，Representating our host the Whitehorse City Council，

Mr Wajid Hassan Hashmi, Consul-General of Pakistan，and all my consular colleagues,

The Venerable Reteng Rinpoche,

Mayors and councillors of the local councils across Victoria,

Community leaders, business leaders, friends from Geelong, Balalrat, Bendigo and other cities, friends from the media, political parties, Australia-China Friendship Association, multicultural organizations,

Ladies and gentlmen，

A very good morning.

It is a great pleasure to celebrate the Chinese Unity Day and the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations with all our good friends in Victoria. On behalf of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Melbourne, I would like to exptend my sincere welcome to all the distinguished guests, and my heartfelt thanks to the Chinese associations, Pakistan Consulate-General, Whitehorse City Council and all the communities who have so generously done to make our event today a tremendous success..

Our global villiage today, far from tranquil, is fraught with intensifying turmoil, and division and confrontation. It is all the more vital and pressing to find an answer to the quesiton of how different civilizations could live with each other, and where our civilizations should head for. Against this backdrop, President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, advocating the diversity of world civilizations, promoting the common valuesof all mankind, emphasizing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international cultural exchanges and cooperation. President Xi Jinping pointed out that civilizations are colorful, equal, and inclusive. Civilizations have exchanges due to diversity, learn from each other due to exchanges, and develop due to this mutual learning. Only by strengthening dialogue among civilizations, drawing on each other's strengths in the process of exchanges and mutual learning, and moving forward hand in hand while seeking common ground and reserving differences, can we continuously push human civilization in the right direction.

The establishment of the "International Day for Dialogue of Civilizations" is an important step to implement this initiative. In June 2024, the 78th UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proposed by China and 83 other countries, where Pakistan is the Core Group Member State, establishing June 10th of each year as the "International Day for Dialogue of Civilizations." This reflects the aspiration of people around the world to promote dialogue among civilizations and advance progress of mankind, which has become the international consensus and joint actions. International Day for Dialogue of Civilizations is not just a day to commemorate, but more a plan of action, which tells us that dialogue is the bridge to peace, mutual learning the key to prospertity, dialogue for understanding and exchange for solidarity serve the very basis of building a community of shared future for humanity.

Dear friends,

The Chinese nation is a unified multi-ethnic country. The 56 ethnic groups are equal, united, mutually supportive, and harmonious, together building the great family of the Chinese nation. For a long time, each ethnic group has formed its own unique culture, which have collectively converged into an important treasure of a greater Chinese culture and civilizational development.

In March, the 14th National People's Congress formally adopted the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress aiming to further promote the unity and progress of all ethnic groups in China, continuously enhance the commonality of the Chinese nation while fully respecting the ethnic differences, and promote mutual assistance and harmonious coexistence among all ethnic groups. The Chinese people believe in the concept of unity through strength and strength for unity. The concerted efforts and common prosperity by all ethnic groups are the lifeblood, source of strength, and hope of the Chinese nation. It is also the very foundation for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the development of the Chinese nation as a community.

Ladies and gentlemen,  

Australia is proud of its multiculturalism, and the city of Melbourne is the iconic multicultural capital city. For decades, various cultures, the Chinese culture included, florish on this continent, bringing vitality and dynamism to Australia, which significantly contributed to the social, economic and cultural development everywhere.

Exchanges and mutulal learning serve the fundamental basis and bonds of China-Australia relationship. When Chinese President Xi Jinping met with visiting Australian Prime Minister Albanese last July, he stressed the importance of extensively fostering friendship of the two peoples, and extend his invitation to more Australians to visit China, in particular the Australian yong people.  Recent months of this year saw frenquent high-level exchanges between China and Australia, including the telephone conversation between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and PM Albanese, and the Strategic and Diplomatic Dialogue between Chinese Foreign Minster Wang Yi and his conterpart Penny Wong. Both sides agreed to enhance mutual understanding and consolidate public support through dialogue and exchanges. Therefore, it is a vital task to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, keep the bilateral relations on the right course, continuously strengthen economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges, consolidate the positive momentum of the bilateral relationship, and inject more stability to the region and the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Today, we are here for a unique dialogue and exchange, not only demonstratin the Chinese culture, but also connecting with other cultures, reprensented by the Pakistani community, African Community, Egyptian community and the Islamic community, among others. Please enjoy for the rest of the day. Looking ahead, the Consulate General is ready to work with you to promote cultural exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and other cultures as advocated by the Global Civilizations Innitiative, so as to enrich the local multiculturalism and elevate the China-Australia people-to-people exchanges to a new height.

Thank you!