Message of UN SecretaryGeneral on the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China.

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be with you to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. I congratulate the people and government of China on your impressive achievements over the past seven decades. Every time I visit China, I am stunned by the speed of change and progress. You have created one of the most dynamic economies in the world, while helping more than 800 million people to lift themselves out of poverty - the greatest antipoverty achievement in history. China saw transformational results in accomplishing the vision of the Millennium Development Goals. You reduced infant and maternal mortality rates, improved nutrition, reduced stunting, and halved the proportion of the population without access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

China has built one of the world's best-performing education systems which attracts international students from all over the world. I congratulate you on all these achievements. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the United Nations' presence in China. Over the past four decades, China has been a key participant in our work as a pillar of international cooperation and multilateralism. After leading the way on the Millennium...