Our growing cultural and sporting exchanges highlight the longstanding traditions of our two countries as well as their vitality and creativity. Over the next seven years, the people of our two capitals will share a unique experience, as host cities of successive Olympic Games. In science too, we have a rich tradition of co-operation. The United Kingdom was pleased to be a partner with China in the international project to sequence the human genome, a milestone of scientific development in the twenty-first century. This year we have taken our partnership in science to a new level, with a series of over sixty events across China in important fields of cooperation such as medical science and renewable energy research.
Your Excellency: this State Visit allows us to draw attention to the flourishing relationship between the United Kingdom and China and to demonstrate the importance we attach to its development. It is a relationship of great consequence to us, full of potential and rich in opportunity for the people of both our countries. There is a saying of Confucius that it is a great pleasure to welcome visitors from afar and I am pleased to be able to welcome you here tonight; I wish you and Madame Liu a most enjoyable visit to the United Kingdom.
May I now ask all our guests to raise their glasses and drink a toast :
To His Excellency the President of the People's Republic of China and Madam Liu and the Chinese people.