Vice Mayor Zhang Wen,

Mr. Lang Lang,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, I wish to express my warmest congratulations to the Melody of Shenzhen: Lang Lang and His City. I also wish to extend my sincerest welcome to the Shenzhen Delegation and Mr. Lang Lang.

We are gathered together on an ancient style of Chinese sailing boat. This has special significance.

This ship has sailed thousands of miles from China. It has travelled from the Pearl River delta, around the world and right up the Thames River estuary into the heart of London.

This sailing ship carries the Chinese people’s best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen in her Diamond Jubilee year, and to the London Olympic Games.

Through this voyage from the Pearl River to the River Thames, Huantian-Lando has bound Shenzhen and London closely together.

Shenzhen is at the forefront, and been the pioneer, of China’s reform and opening-up.

After 30 years of tremendous efforts, Shenzhen has grown from a small coastal village into a major metropolis of the world. Shenzhen has worked wonders in industrialisation, modernisation and urbanisation. Indeed, Shenzhen is symbolic of all the changes achieved across China over the past three decades. These are changes on a scale never seen before in the history of China.

At present, both Shenzhen and London are putting a great effort into the cultural and creative industries.

This makes it very obvious that both cities can greatly and mutually benefit from close collaboration. There are vast opportunities to be won from city-to-city cooperation.

So, I hope Shenzhen and London will increase exchanges, step up cooperation and enhance friendship. This way both cities can secure common development and prosperity.

Mr. Lang Lang is one of the most youthful and popular piano prodigies in the world. He is also the goodwill ambassador of Shenzhen. They are mutually enhancing.

In conclusion, I invite all of you to enjoy Lang Lang’s performance and experience the dynamism of Shenzhen.

Thank you!