Raphael Oni
His Excellency President Xi Jinping received the credentials of eighteen newly appointed ambassadors at the Great Hall of the People. A guard of honour and ceremonial horns greeted the envoys as they passed the assembled flags and ascended the white‑marble steps. Before the monumental painting “The Splendor of Our Land,” President Xi accepted each credential and posed for a photograph with the ambassadors, who represent Türkiye, Austria, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Cyprus, Mauritius, Slovakia, Ghana, Namibia, the Republic of Korea, Uruguay, Switzerland, Palestine, Peru, Lebanon, the Republic of Congo, Lesotho and Myanmar.
Following the ceremony, President Xi addressed the diplomats in the Beijing Room, extending his sincere greetings to their respective heads of state and peoples. He encouraged the ambassadors to travel extensively throughout China, to acquire a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the country, and to contribute actively to the deepening of friendship and cooperation between China and their nations.
President Xi noted that China has successfully completed its 14th Five‑Year Plan, with its economy surpassing key thresholds, and that scientific and technological innovation has yielded substantial growth. He highlighted marked improvements in environmental quality—clear waters and green mountains—and in the living standards of its citizens. He added that the forthcoming 15th Five‑Year Plan will present new opportunities for global partners, and that China will continue to open its doors wider, providing greater certainty and momentum for shared development.
The President warned that “changes unseen in a century are accelerating” and that division, confrontation and zero‑sum competition are unproductive. He called for global solidarity and cooperation, emphasising that the Global Governance Initiative he has proposed seeks to foster a more just and equitable international order. China, he affirmed, will remain on the right side of history, act in the interests of its people and of humanity, and work with all nations to build a community with a shared future for mankind. State Councilor Wang Yi was present at the proceedings.
