On the evening of 11 February 2010, Consul General Tan Xiutian hosted a grand reception to welcome the Year of the Tiger at the Chinese Consulate General. Among over 200 guests and friends, there were Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson, Minister for Cultural and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop, the Advocate General for Scotland Lord Davidson, and representatives from the government at different levels, political parties, consular corps, entrepreneurs, professionals and correspondents from Scotland.

First of all, on behalf of her colleagues, Mme. Tan warmly extended her best wishes to everyone at the party for the Spring Festival. She said, the Year of the Ox is soon drawing to an end, yet what we had experienced in 2009 remaind fresh in our minds. In the face of the global financial crisis, China, on one hand endeavors to maintain steady and relatively fast growth of its economy, on the other, actively participates in the international cooperation to tackle the crisis. As you know, President Hu Jintao attended all three G20 summits in Washington, London and Pittsburgh.

Thanks to the government's latest 4 trillion yuan stimulus package and strenuous joint efforts of the whole nation, China's GDP reached 33.5 trillion yuan and achieved a growth rate of 8.7% last year, that exceeded the target of 8%. In 2009, China's export volume reached 1.2 trillion US dollars, slightly ahead of Germany's 1.17 trillion US dollars, foreign exchange reserves surged 24% to 2.4 trillion US dollars, became the largest consumption country for world luxury brands. Students going to study overseas totaled 200,000 in 2009 alone. All these were not possible without the Reform and Opening-up policy.

According to Mr. Zhu Ming, Vice President of the People's Bank of China, China's contribution rate to world economy had exceeded 50% last year. It was the first time that a developing country boosted the global economy. However, people must not forget that China's GDP in per capita term is only a little more than 3,000 US dollars, ranking 104th in the world. Our per capita GDP is only 1/15 of that of Scotland. I wonder if you remember when in history the United Kingdom was at this income level? According to British Economist Angus Maddison: It was as far back as 1913. You may be surprised to know that 150 million Chinese people still live under 61 pence a day. Even the most basic necessities we take for granted, like water, are sometimes beyond their reach. In China's northwest, villagers take only 3 baths in their entire lives, at birth, marriage and death.

As for China's role in the global fight against climate change, China believes in the urgent need for cutting emission to counter global warming. Though a developing country, China started voluntary reduction of its emission intensity and set new targets for 2020 to further reducing its carbon intensity per unit of GDP by 40-45%. To achieve this, we amended the law on Energy Saving and the law on Renewable Energy. We've set up a strict evaluation systerm for energy efficiency. This enables the central government to hold provincial leaders accountable for meeting energy efficiency targets to be achieved with our own efforts. According to the International Energy Agency, if China fulfils its target for 2020, it will have reduced its emissions of CO2 by 1.5 billion tons. That will be a great achievement, comparing well with the efforts of other countries.

I must not go without referring to the reconstruction work after Wenchuan Earthquake. Because so many Scottish people donated a lot and shared the suffering with us. I am delighted to let you know that people in the earthquake striken areas have achieved their reconstruction goal in two years instead of the originally 3-year planed. The fulfillment results from China's rapid economic recovery along with the policy of "One Province Helps One County". A brand new, bigger, solid and more beautiful Wenchuan is taking shape. For this, we are most grateful to the international community, including exclusively our Scottish friends. We Chinese have a motto: "After receiving a drop of water, a fountain of water should be reciprocated". When Haiti earthquake was announced, Chinese was the first to send its rescue team and the first to set up a medical assistance station there, thus winning high remarks from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

The year of the Ox was a golden one in Sino-Scottish history. Thanks to the Scottish Government's Refreshed China Plan and the joint effoerts of our Scottish friends from all walks of life, represented by all of you here at this party, our bilateral collaborations in an all round way have entered a new height. Education, insurance, financial services, fund management, culture, science and technology as well as other fields have been greatly strengthened. Our high-level exchanges have become more frequent. Homecoming and Robert Burns were promoted effectively during First Minister Alex Salmond's visit to China. Scottish expertise and knowledge contributed very well to the Chinese energy companies. 15 universities, 5 special higher education institutes and many research organizations in Scotland have increasingly become attractive to our students, scholars and scientists. So are golf, whisky, cashmere, shortbread, bagpipe music, highland dance, arts, architecture and so on. Above all, the great Scottish minds, the innovation ability and creativity remain appealing to China as ever. Confucius Institute of Edinburgh University has been selected twice already Top 10 in the world. Out of 24 Confucius Classrooms in UK, there are 10 in Scotland.

In 1910, Lu Shi'e, a young man from Shanghai, wrote a novel called New China, in which imagining Shanghai Pudong district would host the World Expo. From 1910 to 2010, 100 years exactly have passed. 2010 Shanghai Expo will once again fulfill our nation's one century dream. Let's wish the forthcoming Shanghai Expo a great success!

Mr. Fergusson passed on the good wishes of the Scottish Parliament to our Consul General, her colleagues and the Chinese community in Scotland. He said, the Scottish Parliament has played well its part in developing good relationship between Scotland and China. Over the years, they have hosted visiting Chinese delegations, that offered both sides valuable opportunities to exchange views, share knowledge and build up better understanding.

Madam Hyslop thanked Consul General Tan Xiutian for her hospitality and explanied what the Year of the Tiger meant to her, senseative, emotional, adventourus and confident. She also told us excitedly that she was surprisingly welcomed in Shanghai last year by Chinese middle school students singing Auld Lang Syne in English, then the Scottish delegation played a tape of Auld Lang Syne in Chinese by the Peebles' high school students here in Scotland. This demonstrated our education mingles and twin schools grow very well together. The First Minister is going to visit the Shanghai Expo. The Scottish Government will undoubtedly continue to progress the objectives of our China Plan to enhance better friendship with China.

Mr. Dupre elaborated the importance of the 48 Group Club developing links with China and briefed its history and its future cooperation goals.  He presented, on behalf of the 48 Group Club, the "Icebreaker Awards"  in recognition of contributions to Mme. Tan and very few others. Those born in the Year of the Tiger were blessed with lovely giant artificial tigers.

A lot of guests said that Mme. Tan's speech was interesting, informative and educational which aroused greater interest in Chinese affairs. They shared their China experiences, talked about detailed cooperation with China, chatted about Chinese language learning and enjoyed Chinese delicacies. They express their thanks by saying what a wonderful evening it was!

In the end, everyone said good-bye happily with a lucky toy tiger. More than 200 toy tigers were all provided by the very friendly and generous the 48 Group Club.