The history of our friendship is as old as the age of new China. We Chinese people have always had a special place in heart for Albania. Many of the Chinese people are fond of Albania due to our shared history of friendship, and vice versa. As friends from both China and Albania have always mentioned to me, there is no need to reiterate our friendship again and again, it is time to act and make progress, and I totally agree. Gladly, I think we are working on that direction,” said Chinese Ambassador to Albania Zhou Ding
By Genc Mlloja
Senior Diplomatic Editor
October 1st, 1949 marks the birth of the People’s Republic of China, or New China. Albanian Daily News has had a conversation with the Chinese Ambassador to Tirana, Zhou Ding taking this special opportunity to ask his opinions on different issues linked with the historical event, achievements during the 70 years of New China and challenges ahead. During the interview other aspects like China’s view on the situation in Hong Kong, today’s world development, and Sino-Albanian relations were touched upon.
“We’ve made poverty a historical word for 800 million people. We’ve modernized a nation with more than 1 billion people at an unprecedented speed in human history. It could be said that China has blazed a new path to modernization for developing countries,” said Ambassador Zhou who praised the adherence of China to the fundamental policy of reform and opening up, and its path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a path that fits China’s reality and national conditions. “We also give credit to our people for their hard work, vision and courage.”
Answering a question on China’s message when the year 2019 marks the beginning of the Second World War, Mr. Zhou noted thatChina was one of the biggest victims of Fascism and colonialism. “Due to our own unfortunate history, China particularly cherishes its hard-won peace and stability. China has never sought and will never seek supremacy. We staunchly oppose any forms of hegemonism,” he said.
“No government and people care for Hong Kong and the Hong Kong people more than the Chinese government and the Chinese people do,” was the comment of the Ambassador on the ongoing protests and violence in Hong Kong. According to him, they were sparked by a draft proposed to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), aiming at bringing criminals to justice. “However, some forces want to divert people’s concern about the proposed amendment towards the challenge to the “One country, two systems”, and even to China’s sovereignty over Hong Kong. Some protesters even attacked the police with toxic powders, petrol bombs, stormed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, and damaged public facilities,” he said. “What Hong Kong needs today is to stop violence, restore law and order. The Central Government of China support Hong Kong SAR government in enforcing law, undertaking sincere and profound dialogues with the people of all walks of life in Hong Kong. The outside forces should stop destabilizing Hong Kong,” was the comment of Ambassador Zhou.
In the meantime Beijing’s top envoy to Tirana unveiled that by the end of next year, all citizens in China living below the poverty line will be lifted out of poverty, which means China will meet its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG) in poverty alleviation ten years ahead of schedule.
Ambassador Zhou spoke with warm friendly words of Albania which is among the ten nations that first established bilateral ties with China in 1949 a year that marks the 70th anniversary of Sino-Albanian relations. “The history of our friendship is as old as the age of new China. We Chinese people have always had a special place in heart for Albania. Many of the Chinese people are fond of Albania due to our shared history of friendship, and vice versa,” Mr. Zhou noted. He revealed that China and Albania are exploring more common grounds of cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, culture, tourism, education and many other areas trying the best to bring tangible benefits. “The two countries are also doing great under multilateral and regional mechanisms such as the Belt and Road initiative and “17+1 cooperation”. We are expecting the youth development center, a project under “17+1 cooperation” to be open in Tirana,” he said.
Elaborating on “Belt and Road” and “17+1” as platforms for cooperation even with Balkan countries, the Ambassador said that relevant countries have made their decisions under the motto of win-win cooperation. “China is not interested in playing geopolitical games in Balkans area, or anywhere in the world, because we think that it won’t last long. We work with countries like Albania purely based on our traditional friendship and the principle of win-win cooperation. Expansionism is indeed not a label that should be put onto China. For years, some people in the world have kept viewing China through colored spectacles. But facts speak louder than words.”
In an answer to a question on the ongoing political developments in Albania Ambassador Zhou has noted the complexity of the political situation in the country. “China respects Albanian people’s choice and believes that through dialogues, a solution that suits people’s interests the most is reachable. I believe that the Albanian politicians and the Albanian people can and will make it,” he pointed out.
“As I’ve always said, Albania is a great country with huge potential. With hardworking and well-educated people, abundant natural resources and friends who would like to help, Albania deserves a prosperous future. I myself enjoy every moment that I’ve shared with my Albanian friends. I am working hard to promote Albania and raise the visibility of Albania in my country, so that more tourists and businesses from China will come,” said Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding in the interview which follows:
Albanian Daily News: Mr. Ambassador, in the first place allow me to extend the best congratulations on the National Day of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Chinese people mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of PRC on the 1st of October. Could you tell, please, what is the significance of this date in the history of your country? How is this day celebrated and the atmosphere reflected in people’s festivities?
Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding: Thank you for the interview. October 1st, 1949 marks the birth of the People’s Republic of China, or New China. Before 1949, China was actually a semi-colonized country fighting against feudalism, colonialism and foreign invasions for more than one century. Tens of millions of our men and women had sacrificed their lives to gain the hard-won independence and national unity of China. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, we finally took our destiny in our own hands.
To mark the 70th anniversary, On October 1st, there will be a grand celebration ceremony in Beijing, including military and civilian parades on Tiananmen Square, which will be broadcast live. Also, on the 30th of September, there will be a ceremony of presenting flower baskets to the Monument to the People’s Heroes. And of course, receptions, concerts, exhibitions and parties will be held all over China and the world. We are glad that our foreign friends including Albanian friends are joining in our celebration.
– Your Excellency, what have these 7 decades brought to the general progress of China, and turning our minds back how do people feel now as compared with pre–1949?
– In these 70 years of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the 40 years since the Reform and Opening-up, we’ve developed from an impoverished agricultural nation to a strong industrialized nation with the second largest economy in the world. We’ve made poverty a historical word for 800 million people. We’ve modernized a nation with more than 1 billion people at an unprecedented speed in human history. It could be said that China has blazed a new path to modernization for developing countries.
China’s success and accomplishments come from our adherence to the fundamental policy of reform and opening up, and our path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a path that fits China’s reality and national conditions. We also give credit to our people for their hard work, vision and courage. Looking back at the road we’ve traversed over the past 70 years, we are full of pride. Looking ahead at the journey before us, we are full of confidence.
– Mr. Ambassador 2019 marked also the beginning of the Second World War, one of the most tragic events worldwide. What is China’s message on such an occasion against the backdrop of rising tensions in different parts of the world and efforts of certain major powers for supremacy? In your view, is the world order changing from being bipolar to multi-polar?
– China was one of the biggest victims of Fascism and colonialism. Due to our own unfortunate history, China particularly cherishes its hard-won peace and stability. China has never sought and will never seek supremacy. We staunchly oppose any forms of hegemonism. The value of harmony and the belief that “Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you” is deeply rooted in our culture. Today’s world is full of uncertainty. Some basic principles of international relations and multilateralism are being challenged. China would like to work with all nations to bring certainty, confidence and hope to the world.
We pursue mutually beneficial cooperation. We are committed to fostering an open world economy and upholding the WTO-centered multilateral trading regime. We prefer to expand the pie rather than simply dividing it or even fighting for it.
– The incidents happening in Hong Kong in recent months have many people’s attention. What would you say about the situation in Hong Kong?
– No government and people care for Hong Kong and the Hong Kong people more than the Chinese government and the Chinese people do. The protests and violence in Hong Kong were sparked by a draft proposed to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), aiming at bringing criminals to justice. However, some forces want to divert people’s concern about the proposed amendment towards the challenge to the “One country, two systems”, and even to China’s sovereignty over Hong Kong. Some protesters even attacked the police with toxic powders, petrol bombs, stormed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, and damaged public facilities. It is hard to believe that these violent actions even got cheers from some people outside Hong Kong. Some media are also so biased that while reporting on the streets of Hong Kong, they only film the moment of a police officer raising a gun to the air without telling its audience that he was all alone, cornered by rioters and had to do it for self-defense.
Lessons from history tell us that what those people are doing, without basic respect of the rule of law, will only lead to anarchism, chaos and tragedies in Hong Kong, just as what we’ve seen in some places of the world in the past. What Hong Kong needs today is to stop violence, restore law and order. The Central Government of China support Hong Kong SAR government in enforcing law, undertaking sincere and profound dialogues with the people of all walks of life in Hong Kong. The outside forces should stop destabilizing Hong Kong.
– The UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit was just held at the UN headquarters in New York, the topic being global implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. What measures have China taken to implement the agenda and what progress has it achieved?
– The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an important guideline for the international community. China attaches great importance to its implementation. We were among the first to release a national plan and progress report on implementation of the agenda. By the end of next year, all citizens in China living below the poverty line will be lifted out of poverty, which means China will meet its SDG in poverty alleviation ten years ahead of schedule. In poverty reduction, education, health care, environmental protection and many other fields, China has worked hard and made significant progress. This is China’s greatest contribution to the global implementation of the 2030 agenda.
– This historical anniversary coincides with another remarkable anniversary – 7 decades ago Albania and China established diplomatic relations. How would you describe the course of the bilateral relationship? After eight months’ time in our country, how would you assess the current Sino-Albanian relations and are you satisfied by their level, particularly in the economic aspect?
-Albania is among the ten nations that first established bilateral ties with China in 1949. The history of our friendship is as old as the age of new China. We Chinese people have always had a special place in heart for Albania. Many of the Chinese people are fond of Albania due to our shared history of friendship, and vice versa.
As friends from both China and Albania have always mentioned to me, there is no need to reiterate our friendship again and again, it is time to act and make progress, and I totally agree. Gladly, I think we are working on that direction.
In trade, investment, agriculture, culture, tourism, education and many other areas, China and Albania are exploring more common grounds, and trying our best to bring tangible benefits. This year we’ve facilitated many Albanian friends from all walks of life to visit China, in doing so they gain new thoughts about cooperation. We’ve also managed a series of events this year, which proved the potential of China-Albania cooperation. The two countries are also doing great under multilateral and regional mechanisms such as the Belt and Road initiative and “17+1 cooperation”. We are expecting the youth development center, a project under “17+1 cooperation” to be open in Tirana. It may serve as another catalyst for boosting Albania’s relations with other “17+1” countries. I also believe that with the improvement of overall investment environment here, the momentum will be gained, more concrete projects will be materialized.
– The 70th anniversary finds China with two major global initiatives ‘Belt and Road’ and ‘17+1 Mechanism’. Mr. Ambassador some circles consider them as mechanism for China’s goal for expansion in the world. Given their progress and the involved countries in them, including Western Balkans, what would your answer be to those who cast shades of fear of alleged Chinese expansionism?
– Expanding influence is never our goal or intention. When people talk about expanding influence, I think they should specify good influence or bad influence. China always pursues a policy of win-win cooperation, and firmly believes that it is reachable. Either “Belt and Road” or “17+1”, it’s just about making platforms for cooperation. More and more goods are being exported and imported along the Belt and Road, numerous infrastructure projects are emerging, people travel to and from more easily, that is what win-win cooperation has brought. Countries which join the Belt and Road initiative have all made their decisions and approved the relevant projects based on their own evaluation. Nobody can force them. I think that governments and companies are smart enough to make their own jugdement. China is not interested in playing geopolitical games in Balkans area, or anywhere in the world, because we think that it won’t last long. We work with countries like Albania purely based on our traditional friendship and the principle of win-win cooperation. Expansionism is indeed not a label that should be put onto China. For years, some people in the world have kept viewing China through colored spectacles. But facts speak louder than words.
– Mr. Ambassador, how do you perceive the political situation here in Albania? And how do you think of Albania as partner of China?
– I’ve noticed the complexity of the political situation in Albania. China respects Albanian people’s choice and believes that through dialogues, a solution that suits people’s interests the most is reachable. I believe that the Albanian politicians and the Albanian people can and will make it.
As I’ve always said, Albania is a great country with huge potential. With hardworking and well-educated people, abundant natural resources and friends who would like to help, Albania deserves a prosperous future. I myself enjoy every moment that I’ve shared with my Albanian friends. I am working hard to promote Albania and raise the visibility of Albania in my country, so that more tourists and businesses from China will come. Our 70th National Day reception at National History Museum last week was broadcast on CCTV, the most influential media outlet in China, catching the attention of hundreds of millions of Chinese viewers. China’s cartoon TV series Chinese Panda is now on RTSH. These are all significant events that can bring the two countries closer and bring momentum to our bilateral relations. On the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the diplomatic relations between China and Albania, I am very optimistic about our common future.
