Ambassador LI Baodong held a reception on October 1^st to celebrate the 59^th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China. About 400 distinguished guests including ambassadors and heads of UN agencies and international organizations attended the reception. The whole reception was beamed with happiness and joy.

Ambassador LI extended sincere greetings and wishes to the guests and said that 2008 was a year of special significance for China and for the Chinese people. He expressed deep appreciation to those who provided generous assistance and support to China's earthquake rescue and relief work as well as to the Beijing Olympics.

Ambassador LI maintained that this year marked the 30^th anniversary of the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy in China and introduced the historical changes taken place in China over the past 30 years. He emphasized that China remained the world's largest developing country, with the challenges of unparalleled magnitude and complexity. There is still a long way to go before over one billion Chinese people can enjoy greater prosperity in a modernized country. China still needs the support, understanding and cooperation of the international community.

Ambassador LI said that nowadays China's future and destiny and those of the world have ever closely interconnected. China firmly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and a win-win strategy of opening-up. China promotes democracy in international relations, shares development opportunities with other countries and works with them to meet challenges and build a harmonious world of durable peace and common prosperity. China, as always attaches great importance to the UN and supports the work of UNOG and the UN specialized agencies in the fields of disarmament, economic and social development, human rights, labor issues, public health, etc. China will continue to support the efforts of UN and other international organizations, and work with all parties concerned to strengthen international cooperation and promote multilateralism.

The guests presented warm congratulations on the success of the Beijing Olympics and the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft launch. They delivered their profound appreciation of China's great achievements made in the past 30 years and its active role in the international community.