On April 19, 2012, local time, Chairman Jia Qinglin of the CPPCC National Committee attended and addressed the luncheon hosted by Brunei-China Friendship Association (BCFA) in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei. There were almost 200 friendly personages from different communities of the two countries attending the luncheon.

Jia said in his speech that China and Brunei are friendly neighbors in tradition. There is a long history of friendship between the two peoples. When Chinese navigator Zheng He made seven voyages to the west, the Chinese fleet led by him even reached Boni, Brunei, leaving many beautiful legacies behind. In 1408, King Maharaja Karna visited China with a delegation of over 150 people and was warmly received by the Chinese people. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1991, China-Brunei relations have entered a new period of comprehensive development. Bilateral relations have developed smoothly particularly in recent years. The relationship between China and Brunei can be regarded as a model of equal treatment, mutually beneficial-cooperation and harmonious coexistence between big and small countries.

Jia stressed that last year marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and bilateral trade volume reached $1.3 billion dollars, which exceeded the goal of $1 billion dollars set by President Hu Jintao and His Majesty the Sultan. The two sides also successfully organized a series of celebration activities, which further carried forward the traditional friendship and wrote a new chapter for the friendship between China and Brunei.

Jia said that China cherishes the traditional friendly and cooperative relations with Brunei and is willing to work with Brunei to jointly push for new and greater development in the good-neighborly and friendly cooperative relations between China and Brunei.

Jia pointed out that in the context of the complicated and volatile international political and economic environment and facing arduous tasks in domestic reform and development in the past year, China still maintained 9.2% GDP growth, a good start for the "12th Five-Year Plan" period; at the same time, the unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable development is still a serious problem. China needs to make long-term and arduous efforts to achieve the set goals.

Jia said that China is in the process of striving to achieve the goals and complete the tasks set in the 12th Five-Year Plan, which will release huge demands for investment and consumption. This will provide important opportunities for ASEAN enterprises including Brunei enterprises and benefit the economic development of the region and the world. He expressed the hope that the friends attending the luncheon could actively participate in the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Brunei and make their due contributions to a better tomorrow for China-Brunei relations.

Dr. Haji Kamaruddin, President of the Brunei-China Friendship Association, said in his speech that he believed that Jia's visit to Brunei will advance the bilateral cooperation in various fields including politics, economy and trade and leave behind more stories of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Brunei-China Friendship Association is willing to help the two countries conduct more pragmatic cooperation on the existing basis and continue to contribute to the economic and trade exchanges and friendly contacts between the two countries.

Secretary-General and Vice Chairman of CPPCC National Committee Qian Yunlu and Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Zheng Xianglin also attended the above activity.