China’s embassy in Japan hosts Lunar New Year reception for overseas Chinese

China's embassy in Japan hosted a Chinese New Year reception for overseas Chinese people on Friday for the first time in four years, following an interruption attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was intentionally scheduled on the lunar calendar's Little New Year, usually a week before the Chinese Lunar New Year, to bring together compatriots in a foreign land. Little New Year is also known as the Festival of the Kitchen God, the deity who is said to oversee the moral character of each household.

Wu Jianghao, China's ambassador to Japan, extended his sincere New Year greetings and New Year blessings to all compatriots on behalf of the embassy.

"The past year had been a year of hard work and fruitful achievements. Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese people at home and abroad united and moved forward," Wu said.

Last year, China's economy rebounded and progressed toward high-quality development. The expected full-year GDP growth target of 5.2 percent was achieved, and the Chinese economy contributed 32 percent to global economic growth.

"Despite challenges, the Chinese economy remained robust and continued to be the most powerful engine propelling the world economy steadily forward," he said.

The past year was also a year of mutual learning and exchange. Leaders from China and Japan held important meetings in San Francisco in the United States and reaffirmed the positioning of comprehensively advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations between China and Japan, setting the direction for the improvement and development of bilateral relations, Wu said.

He noted that compatriots showed concern for China-Japan relations and organized a series of activities commemorating the 45th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, injecting positive energy into people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Compatriots not only actively contributed to promoting China-Japan economic and trade cooperation but also facilitated deeper cultural exchanges between the two countries, he added.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Currently, China is comprehensively advancing the construction of a powerful nation and the great rejuvenation of the nation in a Chinese modernization style, contributing to the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Wu said he hopes the coming year will see overseas Chinese people in Japan play a key role as builders of China-Japan relations, further promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, technology, and culture.