Full Text of Speech by Li Ruihuan at World Chinese EntrepreneursFriends, Honored Guests, Comrades, The Sixth World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention is being held in China. More than 3,300 overseas Chinese entrepreneurs from all parts of the world and over 1,500 domestic entrepreneurs joyously gather in Nanjing, an ancient capital. This is a grand event that will go down in the history of overseas Chinese communities. I wish to extend, on behalf of the Chinese Government and in the name of the Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the convention, sincere congratulations to the convention and a warm welcome to all friends who have come from afar. At present, China is at an important stage of development. We in China have begun to implement the blueprint for the development in the new century, with very ambitious goals and most arduous tasks. Our reform has entered a crucial phase at which there are many favorable conditions and also quite a few deep-seated problems. As China's accession to the WTO is just around the corner, we will have closer links with the rest of the world and the requirements for our opening up will be even higher. The world economy is in the doldrums, so are the economies in many countries and regions. As a result, it is hard to prevent China's economy from being affected. All in all, we are faced with not only rare opportunities, but also severe challenges. At such a time, this convention is most significant as it will help overseas Chinese entrepreneurs to understand how things stand in China, seek business opportunities for cooperation and promote friendship, and will help us heed the views of our friends, draw upon overseas experience and broaden our channels for external cooperation. Interrelation in the present-day world is increasing. Economic globalization is picking up speed, and the economies of countries are becoming more and more interdependent. The international division of labor continues to deepen and the scope of international coordination keeps expanding. The essential factors of production are extensively allocated across regions to an unprecedented extent, and a global market is rapidly taking shape. The common interests of mankind are gradually on the rise, and more and more problems need to be resolved through coordinated and common efforts of all nations. As human civilization has evolved to this day, the globe is becoming smaller and smaller. The whole world has been incorporated into an inter-woven network that no country or nation could stay away from. Nowadays the world is developing and changing faster and faster. The cycle for updating knowledge and technology has been greatly shortened, and the scientific and technological achievements have been converted into real production forces on a scale and at a pace as never seen before. The information technology has greatly overcome the limit of time and space for human activities, offering convenient means for international communication and exchanges. Competition of all kinds has become extremely fierce, and it is common occurrence "for a new force to emerge all of a sudden" and "for something to give a flash in the Pan". The swift scientific, technological and economic development is bringing profound changes to people's spiritual world. New ways of thinking and new values are constantly taking shape. As human civilization develops to this day, the outlook of the world is changing with each passing day. Such proverbs as "traveling a thousand miles a day" and "undergoing a myriad of changes in a split second" were usually a way of expression, but today many of them have become a reality. Under these circumstances, to seek development by closing the country to international intercourse or through self-seclusion, to be over-conceited in a bid to dominate the world, to stand still and rest on one's laurels or to follow the beaten track and stick fast to outdated ideas and practices--none of these would work and all of them would be eliminated by the tide of the times. Against this backdrop, it is imperative for all countries and nations to be oriented towards the world, study it and merge themselves in it, and to be oriented towards the future, study it and plan for it. Will they be able to base themselves on their own countries and always proceed from their national conditions while having a global vision and enhancing exchanges and cooperation with other countries? Will they be able to ensure economic security for themselves and effectively withstand all kinds of external impact while seeking advantages, avoiding disadvantages and actively participating in international division of labor? Will they be able to do solid work for the present without rushing for results while taking a broad and long-term view and correctly appreciating the changes and evolution of the world? Will they be able to maintain the fine traditions, inherit and carry forward the good things left over by their forefathers while keeping abreast of the times and boldly carrying out reform and innovation? These are major questions facing all countries and nations as well as enterprises that want to accomplish something. The vast number of overseas Chinese communities live in all parts of the world. They have been able to take root and establish businesses in adverse overseas environment and many of them have risen from obscurity out of fierce competition and become outstanding representatives in various sectors, mainly because they have had a global vision, kept abreast of the times, and have been good at seizing opportunities in developing themselves. I hope that all the participants at the convention will earnestly sum up and exchange experience in this respect. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and the implementation of reform and opening-up in particular, remarkable achievements have been made in China's cause of socialist construction. The social productive forces have developed rapidly. The quality of life of the people has visibly improved. There has been all-round development of various social undertakings. The overall national strength has been increased substantially. Historical progress has been made in the cause of our national reunification. China's status and influence in the world continue to rise. A divided, volatile, poor and weak China has given place to a united, stable and strong New China with the beginnings of prosperity. The Chinese people are now marching forward with courage, pride and enthusiasm along the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core. Deng Xiaoping once said that China could develop very fast and that the Chinese people should be optimistic about their future. One of the reasons is that there are dozens of millions of overseas Chinese and foreign nationals of Chinese origin across the globe, which is a big advantage on our part. They get on well with others, love their homeland and live in harmony with the local people. They have played the role of bridges and bonds of ties as China opens up to the rest of the world and steps up its cooperation and exchanges with other countries and regions. A lot of our import of foreign funds, export, trade and exchanges with other countries and regions depend on them. I would like to take this opportunity to pay high respects and express hearty thanks to all the overseas Chinese communities that have made contribution to China's development. Friends, China has a long way to go in its socialist modernization drive. Rapid as it is, China's development is on the whole not at a high level. Though its development has been relatively smooth-going, China is still faced with quite a few sticky problems. As it is a country with a large population, a poor economic foundation and relative scarcity of resources, it will take the sustained efforts of several decades or even longer for China to catch up with the moderately developed countries. To accelerate its development and realize its grand objectives, the people of all its ethnic groups must lose no time, seize the opportunity, unite as one and work hard. They must increase exchanges and expand cooperation with other countries and regions in the world. Meanwhile, it is essential for the vast number of overseas Chinese communities to give, as always, more support and assistance by making use of their advantages and favorable conditions. We sincerely hope that the overseas Chinese communities will continue to make progress in their cause. We also hope that they will, in the course of their own development, make fresh and greater contributions to the development of their countries of residence, of China and of the world at large. Friends, Honored Guests, It is a long journey for you to come back and this is a rare chance for you to meet here. I hope that you will have more exchanges and contacts with others, visit more places and look around and help us in our work by offering your valuable suggestions. I wish the Convention a complete success. Thank you. |
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