His Excellency Ambassador Wang Baodong's Speech at the Reception Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between China and Tonga

尊敬的皮洛莱乌公主殿下和图伊塔阁下，

尊敬的波希瓦首相阁下，

尊敬的法卡法努阿议长阁下，

尊敬的各位内阁大臣、贵族成员、议会议员，

各位驻汤使节，

汤加华社代表，

女士们，先生们，朋友们，

Your Royal Highness Princess Pilolevu and Honorable Lord Tuita,

Honorable Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva,

Honorable Speaker Lord Fakafanua,

Honorable Ministers of the Cabinet, Nobles of the Realm, Members of the Parliament,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Members of the Chinese Community,

Ladies, gentlemen and friends,

　　晚上好！今天，11月2日，是中华人民共和国与汤加王国建交20周年纪念日。今晚，我们欢聚一堂，庆祝这个具有历史意义的日子。在此，我谨代表中国驻汤加使馆，对各位嘉宾的光临表示热烈欢迎！

　　中国有句古诗，“相知无远近，万里尚为邻”。中国和汤加虽然远隔重洋，但两国人民之间的友好交往源远流长。上世纪末，图普四世国王从汤加的长远发展出发，提出“向东看”政策，并作出与台湾当局“断交”的正确决策。1998年10月26日，时任汤加外交和国防大臣的图普六世国王访问中国，代表汤加王国政府与中国政府代表签署公报，决定两国自当年11月2日起相互承认并建立大使级外交关系。汤加王国政府庄严承认世界上只有一个中国，中华人民共和国政府是代表全中国的唯一合法政府，台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分。中汤建交是具有历史意义的重大事件，符合我们两国和两国人民的共同利益，两国关系从此翻开了崭新的一页。

Malo e lelei! Good evening! Today is November 2, the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Tonga, and we get together happily to celebrate this historic date. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Tonga, I hereby extend warm welcome to all of you for your kind presence.

There is a line from a Chinese poem, "Distance cannot separate true friends who feel so close even when they are thousands of miles apart". Although China and Tonga are separated by vast oceans, the friendly interaction between our peoples has a long history. At the end of last century, His Late Majesty King Tupou IV put forward the diplomatic policy of "looking east" for the long-term development of Tonga and made the right decision to sever ties with the Taiwan authorities. On October 26, 1998, His Majesty King Tupou VI, who was then Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence of Tonga visited China, and on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga, signed the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with his counterpart in the Chinese Government. According to the Communique, the two countries mutually recognize each other and establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level from November 2, 1998; the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga solemnly recognizes that there is but one China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government that represents the whole China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part the Chinese territory. The realization of diplomatic ties between China and Tonga is a major event of historic significance and is in the common interests of our two countries and two peoples, thus opening a brand new chapter in China-Tonga relations.