On January 18, 2022, Ambassador to Portugal Zhao Bentang held a Spring Festival video symposium with overseas Chinese in Portugal to welcome the Spring Festival of the Year of the Tiger in the Lunar Calendar. Public Counselor Xu Zhida, chief librarian of the Embassy, presided over the forum, and more than 40 representatives of overseas Chinese in Portugal, including Cai Wenxian, president of the Portuguese Chinese Chamber of Commerce, attended the forum.
Ambassador Zhao first extended New Year greetings and good wishes to the vast number of overseas Chinese in Portugal, fully affirming the positive role and important contributions made by everyone in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, welcoming the Beijing Winter Olympics, watching out for each other to fight the epidemic together, building a harmonious Portuguese overseas Chinese society, actively integrating into the local society, serving the overall situation of domestic development and promoting Sino-Portuguese friendly cooperation in the past year.
Ambassador Zhao reviewed the major events, happy events and important events in China's development and Sino-Portuguese relations in the past year, introduced the work done by the embassy in practicing the "people-centered" ideology and the concept of "diplomacy for the people", and stressed that 2022 is a key year for the Chinese people to march toward the second centenary goal, China will solemnly convene the 20th National Congress of the Party, and the Winter Olympics have entered "Beijing time". The strong development of the motherland and the stable development of Sino-Portuguese relations will provide a stronger backing and more development opportunities for compatriots in Portugal. At the same time, the repeated delays in the epidemic situation in Portugal have also brought many challenges to overseas Chinese in Portugal. It is hoped that the vast number of overseas Chinese compatriots will strengthen their confidence, face difficulties, cultivate new opportunities in the crisis, and open up a new situation in the midst of changes. Ambassador Zhao also put forward a New Year's message to the overseas Chinese in Portugal in four words: First, to be a "dreamer" of national rejuvenation, to contribute to the development of the motherland, and to safeguard the development stability and security interests of the country and the nation; the second is to be the "bellwether" of the harmonious overseas Chinese community, to unite the strength of overseas Chinese and to maintain the unity and stability of the overseas Chinese community; the third is to be the "main force" of entrepreneurship and prosperity, turn into a crisis, transform and upgrade, deeply cultivate Portugal, create its own characteristics, and serve domestic development; fourth, be the "golden ribbon" of Sino-Portuguese relations, and play a good role as a link bridge. Spread the voice of China, tell the story of China well, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Portuguese peoples.
Ambassador Zhao said that the embassy is the home of all overseas Chinese in Portugal, and will continue to do practical things, solve difficulties and do good things for everyone, implement the purpose of people-oriented, diplomatic for the people and serve overseas Chinese, and announce three new measures to benefit the people: first, the "Spring Festival Package" of epidemic prevention materials will be distributed again before the Spring Festival; second, it will contact and coordinate domestic experts to hold online epidemic prevention lectures and remote consultations; third, it will hold online interviews on consular documents and health code applications every quarter to answer questions.
The representatives of the overseas Chinese circles in Portugal sincerely thanked the embassy for being anxious about the urgent needs of overseas Chinese, thinking about what overseas Chinese were thinking, and solving the problems of overseas Chinese compatriots' anxieties and expectations, and said one after another that the "Spring Festival Package" and other measures to warm overseas Chinese were full of the care of the party and the motherland for overseas Chinese and sent warmth in the cold winter. We will redouble our efforts, keep up with the right and innovate, face difficulties, forge ahead, carry forward the fine traditions, unite and cooperate to overcome the impact of the epidemic, explore the road of development of overseas Chinese in Portugal in the new era, and play more positive roles in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the friendly development of Sino-Portuguese relations, and the harmony and stability of the overseas Chinese community in Portugal.
(Overseas Network)