Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Good morning!

It is a great pleasure to attend the promotion event for the Glas Kine special issue, which also serves as a sharing session by Mr. Faruk, President of the China-Bosnia and Herzegovina Friendship Association, following his trip to China’s Yunnan Province and Chongqing City. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to Mr. Faruk.

There is already a wealth of materials about China available today. However, Mr. Faruk’s special issue, Silk Road Journey 2025 — Yunnan and Chongqing, strikes me as truly distinctive. It is neither a curiosity-driven travelogue by a foreign visitor, nor a cold compilation of data and statistics. However, it reads like a patient friend guiding readers through his in-depth experiences in Yunnan and Chongqing, allowing them to encounter a vivid and multifaceted China through real-life scenes—from flower markets and food processing factories to wind power generation.

What I find most valuable about this special issue is that it neither deliberately romanticizes China nor reduces it to oversimplified stereotypes driven by bias. It is honest, nuanced, and above all, full of goodwill and friendship. I believe any friend who reads it will feel more drawn to approach China and understand it better. Allow me to share a few heartfelt observations with you all.

First, I invite you to come and experience the “Flavors of China.” China is often described as a “paradise of cuisine,” and this is by no means an exaggeration. The global popularity of the documentary A Bite of China is the best proof. The articles mention an example—Xuanwei ham from Yunnan—which left foreign guests full of praise after tasting it. In fact, its production process is somewhat similar to that of Spanish ham, yet the flavor is entirely different. This is precisely the charm of Chinese cuisine: it follows universal culinary logic while retaining its own unique soul. This reminds me of a Yunnan hotpot restaurant in Sanlitun, Beijing. Though unassuming in appearance, it has attracted visits from prominent figures. Sitting at ordinary tables and chairs, they experienced the novelty of ordering via mobile QR codes and enjoyed fresh mushrooms airlifted from Yunnan—coming to know a warm, vibrant China through their taste buds.

Second, I invite you to experience a China where diverse cultures flourish together in harmony. As we all know, Diversity spurs interaction among civilizations, which in turn promotes mutual learning and their further development. President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, which insists that “Differences in civilization should not become the source of conflict, but rather the driving force for the progress of human civilization”. This special issue highlights Yunnan’s traditional paper crafting. With humble materials—strips of bamboo and sheets of colored paper—artisans create dragons, phoenixes, lanterns, and blossoms. From such small things emerges a profound truth: what has sustained the Chinese civilization for more than five thousand years without interruption is precisely the belief that "each finds beauty in itself as well as in others, and in the sharing of beauty, excellence grows." For centuries, diverse ethnic groups and religious traditions have coexisted on this land with mutual respect, harmony, and shared growth.

Third, I invite you to experience China’s green development. According to the latest data from Global Energy Monitor, China's wind and solar power generation is the No.1 in the world. Today in China, four out of every ten kilowatt-hours of electricity consumed come from green sources. From vast wind turbines stretching across the Gobi Desert to densely packed solar panels on urban rooftops, clean energy is becoming the backdrop of everyday life for the Chinese people.

China's new energy vehicle, energy storage battery, and related sectors are also growing at an astonishing pace. From Shenzhen's fully electric bus fleet to the boundless "ocean" of solar panels in Qinghai, green is not merely a concept—it is a reality unfolding every day. Yet China is not complacent. The 15th Five-Year Plan has set clear targets for the next phase: raise the share of non-fossil energy consumption to 25%, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by a cumulative 17%. The land that is turning greener reflects not only the green of forests, but also the green of energy, the green of the sky, and the green of the future.

Fourth, I invite you to experience a China driven by technological innovation. Not long ago, the Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon — also known as the Humanoid Robot Half Marathon — took place. The event featured not only cheerleading robot squads energizing the crowd and robot traffic police on duty, but also over a hundred robot contestants racing alongside human runners. In the end, a robot named "Lightning" claimed victory with a net time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds — surpassing the human's half marathon world record. Just one year ago, the best performance by a robot contestant was a mere 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. This may seem like a somewhat whimsical race, yet it is precisely a microcosm of China's technological progress. From robots to drones, from AI to quantum computing — innovation in China is turning science fiction into everyday reality.

Of course, I have also heard concerns from some friends: with robots advancing so rapidly, will they take away people's jobs? Will they create problems for society? My view is exactly the opposite. Technological progress has never been a troublemaker — it is a problem solver. Robots can work in dangerous places on behalf of humans, free us from repetitive labor, and ultimately make life more convenient, of higher quality, and with more opportunities for meaningful work.

Fifth, I welcome you to experience a China that stands for fairness and justice. Many of you here may have felt it firsthand: the continued tensions in the Middle East, soaring prices across Europe, fuel shortages, grounded flights—the ripple effects of these crises touch every one of us. In the face of such turmoil, China has neither chosen silence nor taken sides. When meeting with the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, President Xi Jinping put forward a four-point proposal, emphasizing adherence to the principles of peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty, and the international rule of law, as well as coordinating development and security. China has actively promoted peace talks and called for resolving disputes through political dialogue, so as to bring peace and stability to the people of the Middle East.

In stark contrast, certain countries have resorted to reckless military strikes on Iran, trampling on the international order based on the UN Charter. They interfere in the internal affairs of other nations, push for regime change, and grossly violate the principles of sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. They pursue hegemonic power in international affairs and impose their will on others. History has repeatedly shown that force cannot bring lasting peace, nor can bombing win respect.

As an ancient Chinese poem goes, "Long is the way and hard, I know, but we become friends if our hearts agree." Though China and Bosnia and Herzegovina are thousands of miles apart, our hearts can be drawn closely together. In the past, we fought side by side against the fascist invasion — a memory forged in blood. Today, under the high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, the physical connectivity and spiritual resonance between our peoples are more closely intertwined than ever. Looking ahead, China's green development is ready to inject greater momentum into Bosnia and Herzegovina's economic takeoff. As a diplomat living on this beautiful land, I have witnessed firsthand how different civilizations can engage in sincere dialogue, and how two countries—different in size—can walk hand in hand toward their respective modernization.

Politically, China and Bosnia and Herzegovina have continuously enhanced mutual trust and respected each other's core interests. China, having suffered from repeated foreign aggression in modern times, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, having endured the ravages of war, both deeply understand that sovereignty and territorial integrity are not abstract concepts but the very lifeline of a nation. We maintain that every country has the right to hold its destiny firmly in its own hands, rather than having it dictated by others.

Economically, China-Bosnia and Herzegovina cooperation is gaining new vitality. Under the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism, our development strategies can be closely aligned. China is ready to increase investments in infrastructure, new energy, green agriculture, healthcare, and other fields — bringing wind farms and solar facilities to the hills and lakes of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while also bringing Bosnia and Herzegovina's fine wines and honey to the tables of Chinese households.

Culturally, the encounter between Chinese and Bosnian civilizations has sparked wonderful chemistry. Chinese culture values harmony in diversity and embraces what is valuable from others. Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated at the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations, also boasts a uniquely splendid culture. Though our languages, customs, and religions may differ, our aspiration for a better life is fundamentally the same. We hope to strengthen cooperation between China and Bosnia and Herzegovina in culture, education, science and technology, and other fields—learning from each other through exchanges and finding mutual fulfillment through dialogue.

To conclude, I would like to say: in a world of chaos and disorder, China will always offer a solid and reliable back, a bright ray of color, and a force to move forward. Once again, I congratulate Mr. Faruk and thank him for sharing a more authentic China with all of us. Of course, no matter how vividly an article describes China, it can never replace the experience of seeing it for yourself. I sincerely invite every friend here today to visit China. You will discover that the real scenery is always more moving than words can capture.

Thank you all!