Your Excellency Madam Zainab Hawa Bangura, USG and Director-General of the UN Office at Nairobi.

Fellow Ambassadors,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends:

I am pleased to be here and celebrate together with you the 15th UN Chinese Language Day. Chinese is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the world, which has been an official language of the UN since its inception in 1945.Chinese is the only UN official language that is used only in one country as its official language. Chinese language witnessed the occasion when China was the first country to sign the UN Charter. Since 2010, the annual UN Chinese Language Day celebrations have not only promoted the important role of Chinese language in the work of the UN, but also revealed the unique charm of the language and Chinese culture, opening a window for people to learn more about contemporary China and its culture.We highly appreciate the initiative of the UN Office at Nairobi in hosting this event, and express our sincere gratitude to the Chinese Instruments Orchestra of Nanjing University and the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi for their strong support, and extend a warm welcome to Executive Vice Governor Mr. Ma Xin of Jiangsu Province, China, who has travelled a long way to visit us.

The Chinese language is the symbol and carrier of Chinese cultural heritage, through which we can better understand China and the Chinese people.  In the Chinese name of the United Nations, the first two Chinese characters-- "联" and "合" refer to United. However, these two characters carry deep and rich cultural meanings.According to an ancient Chinese Dictionary, "联" means connectedness.  In a Chinese classic, Zhuangzi, it says: "  union forms, and division falls." In Chinese, "联" means contacts, connections, linkage, association, etc., and "合" means convergence, fusion, harmony, cooperation, etc. Connectivity of all things and their harmony and coexistence are the ideals pursued by the Chinese nation, which are highly compatible with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We live in an interconnected and interrelated global village, where all countries are closely linked, and the destiny of humankind is shared. The world cannot return to isolation. Decoupling and disruption of supply chains, and development in isolation are against the trend of history; To pursue a beggar-thy-neighbor policy or to watch the fire from a safe distance will ultimately endanger oneself. "The beauty of harmony lies in the merging of differences". In today's world, there is a greater need for "联", for "合" and for"联合". Interpreting the original meaning and intention of the United Nations from a Chinese language perspective may help people better understand the concepts of a community of shared future and  win-win cooperation and shake off the small-bloc and zero-sum game mentality. It will truly make diversity and multilateralism the inexhaustible driving force of human progress. China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at the core, and firmly supports the United Nations in playing its important role in international affairs.

Ladies and Gentlemen, friends,

Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at UNESCO Headquarters, in which he elaborated China's view on civilization and put forward the important initiative of exchanges and mutual understanding among civilizations, thus unifying the forces for the progress of human civilization and the peaceful development of the world. Today, 10 years later, the world is witnessing new patterns and trends, facing new risks and challenges, and it is of great significance to join hands to promote the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative. Let us adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practice true multilateralism, promote exchanges and mutual understanding among civilizations, cultivate a garden of different civilizations, and work together to promote the civilization progress and modernization of human society.

In closing, I wish the Chinese Language Day celebration a great success.