Dear Ms. Mujanović,

Dear Coach Halimić,

Dear players of the women’s basketball team

Good morning! We are truly delighted and honored since it’s the first time that the Chinese Embassy has received the delegation from the Bosnia and Herzegovina Women's Basketball Team. As you prepare to travel to China for friendly competitions, I would like to extend my warmest welcome and best wishes to all of you.

May you have a fruitful journey in China — not only achieving outstanding results on the court, but also harvesting deep friendship and beautiful memories off the court.

Your team has been renowned in Europe for your disciplined tactical style, high-intensity physical play and spirit of perseverance. In recent years, you have delivered outstanding performances in major European and international tournaments, earning respect and admiration from both fans and competitors. It is fair to say that you are a shining name card of BiH sports and a fine example for many young girls.

Likewise, your counterpart, the Chinese women’s basketball team also has a long-standing tradition and fortitude. When participating in the Olympic Games, the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and other international games, the players have demonstrated extraordinary Chinese splendor of unity, perseverance, and wisdom.

I firmly believe that this encounter of women’s basketball teams  between China and BiH will be not only a high-level athletic exchange, but also a vivid demonstration of the resilience, speed, and strength of women.

China successfully hosted Summer Olympics in 2008 and  Winter Olympics in 2022.The Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together, has deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people and shaped the values of our society. Fitness and sports are widely practiced in China, and basketball, in particular, is loved by millions.

Your destination—Shandong Province — which is the home of Confucius and Mencius and a land of ceremony and decorum, serves as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. I hope you will take time to see more, explore more, and truly feel the charm of Chinese culture and the warmth of everyday life. This journey will be a wonderful experience of personal exchanges and emotional connection.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our relationship has become a model of friendship and cooperation between countries of different sizes, histories, cultures, and social systems. Sports exchanges form a heartwarming part of our bilateral ties.

Sport has never been just about wins and losses—it is a unique form of communication that transcends language, culture, and ethnicity. No translation is needed, a single gesture can bring us understanding; no diplomatic rhetoric is necessary; a single smile can build a bridge of friendship.

Young people are the driving force of our people-to-people exchanges. A game may last only 48 minutes, but friendship knows no final whistle. I hope you will use basketball to share unity, friendship, and mutual trust, bringing even more vitality into the exchanges between our two peoples.

Finally, I wish you a wonderful and memorable journey to China! Thank you.