Your Excellency Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia,

Honorable Mr. Moses Mawere, Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development,

Mr. Elias Mpondela, President of Zambia Amateur Athletic Association and Chairman of Inter-Company Relay,

Mrs. Agness Chakonta, Managing Director of Madison Life Insurance,

Distinguished Guests,

Friends from the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon!

It is my pleasure to attend the 21stInter-Company Relay (ICR) hosted by Zambia Amateur Athletic Association (ZAAA). The theme of ICR this year is "The Key to New Health Life Style-Walk & Run", as well as the celebration of the 55th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zambia. I really appreciate the healthy life philosophy advocated by the ZAAA and sincerely thank the ZAAA for its contribution to promoting the China-Zambia friendship.

The ZAAA has been committed to improving Zambian people's health conditions for a long time. Since 1999, the ZAAA has brought companies and communities together through annual ICR to promote healthier lifestyle. This event has not only increased people's awareness of healthy life, conveyed the sports spirit of "Friendship First", but also promoted the communications between Chinese and Zambian enterprises and people. I really appreciate this health-promoting activity and hope it will become better and better.

As a friendly partner of Zambia, China has always supported Zambia's development in various fields such as culture, sports and health. China is pleased to see the continuous improvement of the health condition of the Zambian people. In recent years, based on Zambia's situation, China has assisted in building a series of projects aimed at improving the health and well-being of the local people, including Heroes Stadium where we are today, Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital, Zambian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and other medical facilities, sports venues, primary and secondary schools, etc. We also enroll in large numbers of Zambian students to study in China and provide assistance in training of technical personnel who are critical in improving the health conditions of the Zambian people. For the past 40 years, China has dispatched 21 Medical Teams to Zambia, to share our medical and health development experience, as wells high-level clinical medical technologies with the Zambian people, and contribute directly to improving their health. In addition, The Chinese Embassy in Zambia has also funded various Zambian sports events, such as Table Tennis and Badminton tournaments, which have been extensively well received.

This year marks 55th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zambia. The Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that, Zambia is the first country in southern Africa to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. The Chinese government and people have always had special friendly sentiment towards Zambia. Over the past 55 years, the governments of China and Zambia have maintained a good traditional friendship, continuously consolidated political mutual trust, always upheld mutual benefit and win-win strategy, thus provided a solid political and economic foundation for Zambia's development. Chinese enterprises and business community in Zambia take Corporate Social Responsibilities actively, and play an important role in creating jobs and improving local people's living conditions. I am very glad to see that the Association of Chinese Corporation in Zambia, AVIC International and Jiangsu International have provided strong support for the ICR.

I believe that, with the joint efforts of our governments and people, the China-Zambia friendship will develop in a healthier direction. Finally I would like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulation on the complete success of the 21st ICR.

Thank you!