(21 February, 2013, Montreal)

Mr. Jean-François LISÉE, Minister of International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade of Quebec,

Mdm. Zhao Jiangping, Chinese Consul General in Montreal,

Mr. Fang Li, Chinese Consul General in Toronto,

Mdm. Feng Ying, Director of the National Ballet of China,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Good evening!

It gives me great pleasure to speak at this wonderful reception hosted by Teck Resources for the visiting National Ballet of China.

Now we are still in the festive season of Chinese New Year, please allow me to wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous year of the snake.

I would also like to take this opportunity to commend Teck Resources and the Canadian Grand Ballet of Montreal for organizing such a great event.

The ballet that we are about to see tonight is called Raise the Red Lantern. It is a touching love story with rich Chinese historical and cultural elements.

Since first staging, it has recorded the largest number of overseas tours among all Chinese ballet productions.

It is indeed my great honor to share with you this marvelous artistic feast combining Chinese themes with western forms of arts.

And I would call it a bridge for cultural understanding between China and the West.

There is one other particular meaning about tonight's performance.

During Prime Minister Stephen Harper's second visit to China last year, China and Canada agreed to hold a series of cultural events in the years of 2013 and 2014.

And tonight's performance will unveil the 2013-2014 Series of Chinese Cultural Events in Canada.

In the coming two years, many top art troupes from China, including the National Orchestra of China and the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe, will come to Canada.

And a number of prestigious cultural events, such as the Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, the China-Canada Literature Forum will also be held in Canada.

All these performances and events will open a door for the Canadian people to the magnificence and inclusiveness of the Chinese culture, and the heritage and values that the Chinese people cherish most.

Of course, the Chinese people are also in great anticipation for numerous cultural performances and events from Canada this year and the next.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

A couple of weeks ago, Celine Dion, the music legend from Montreal, made a spectacular appearance on the stage of the Chinese Spring Festival Gala, a must-see TV program for all Chinese people around the world on the eve of traditional lunar new year.

The whole Chinese nation was thrilled by not only the famous movie song, 'My Heart Will Go On', but also the most popular Chinese folksong, 'Jasmine', presented by her.

More importantly, they are very much grateful to her for bringing the blessings from the Canadian people on that special evening of celebration.

That is the charm of cultural exchanges.

And I believe the performance tonight by the talented artists from China will be yet another fabulous experience of such kind.

As one Chinese saying goes, 'The whole year's harvest depends on a good start in the spring'.

I sincerely hope tonight's performance will usher in a whole new year of great cultural exchanges and cooperation between our two countries. I wish it a complete success.

And I wish all of you have a great night. Thank you.