The China People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) last Thursday hosted an official dinner in Beijing to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment in 1972 of the diplomatic relations between Malta and the People’s Republic of China.

China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Ming was guest of honour.

Guests included senior officials from the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the CPAFFC; officials from the Embassy of Malta in Beijing; visiting representatives from the Malta China Friendship Society led by its president, former Minister Reno Calleja, and members of the Maltese community in China active in the industrial, commercial, hospitality or academic fields.

Former Ambassadors of China to Malta, Zhang Keyuan, Liu Zhengxiu and Yang Guirong were also present.

Speeches hailing the various facets of cooperation between the two countries and of their growth during the past 40 years were delivered by CPAFFC’s vice-president, Ambassador Li Jianping; Malta’s Ambassador to China, Joseph Cassar; Mr Calleja and Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Ming.

Auguring the continued growth of these bilateral relations and the gratitude of both peoples for past cooperation, speakers stressed the importance of people-to-people relations and the role of friendship societies in enhancing greater understanding and cooperation between peoples.

Assistant Minister Zhang reiterated China’s gratitude to Malta for its vital assistance in the evacuation of thousands of Chinese workers during the Libyan troubles last year.

In an exchange of gifts, Minister Zhang presented the Maltese Ambassador with a special publication on the 40 years of Maltese-Chinese diplomatic relations, while Ambassador Cassar presented a recent publication on the origins of Malta’s social, economic and cultural development.