Speech at the 2012 New Year Reception
Wang Chen，Minister of the State Council Information Office
December 16，2011
Ladies and Gentlemen，Honoured Friends，
Good evening!
As we prepare to bid farewell to 2011 and usher in 2012，please allow me，on behalf of the State Council Information Office，to extend a warm welcome to our guests tonight，including diplomatic envoys，embassy press and information officers，as well as friends from the Chinese and foreign media．Please accept my heartfelt gratitude for the great efforts that have been made by all journalists and reporters in their coverage of China’s progress and development in the last year, as well as its policies and positions．
In 2011，despite facing the complex and fluctuating events occurring on the international stage while undertaking the painstaking task of domestic reform and development，the Party Central Committee and the Chinese government have succeeded in achieving a remarkable social and economic beginning to the 12th Five—year Plan for the Chinese people by following the principles of scientific development，focusing on speeding up and transforming the pattern of economic growth，and by striking just the right balance between transformative growth and societal development．2011 marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the centenary of the 1911 Revolution，both of which we have celebrated with commemorative and influential events．The economic and cultural ties between China and other countries and regions have grown closer as our exchanges have become more frequent．
In 2011，the SCIO，following the principles of timeliness，accuracy, openness and transparency, has actively addressed the concerns of the international community and released information to the world rapidly and efficiently．The news briefing system of the Party committee and government has embarked upon a new stage of information broadcasting，with many departments under the Party Central Committee as well as governments at provincial levels appointing their own spokespeople to ensure that the public is promptly briefed on all relevant situations and events. Over the past year the SCIO has accomplished much，including the following tasks：
Held more than 70 press conferences；
Compiled and published numerous government white papers including China’s National Defense in 2010，China’s Peaceful Development，and China’s Foreign Aid；
Sponsored the production of a video showcasing China；
Sponsored‘Experience China’，a series of culture events held in Germany,Austria，Russia，India，and Indonesia；
Organized dialogues between Chinese media outlets and their South Korean，Japanese and German counterparts，respectively；
Successfully held the China Tibet Development Forum．
All of these events have fostered an exchange of ideas and have been well received by the international community．They have also given the world a better understanding of China and its people．
On May 4th，2011，the State Internet Information Office was established, marking a new stage of Internet information service and administration in China．We are committed to promoting the healthy and orderly development of the Internet in China following the guidelines of actively making use of the Internet，developing the Internet in a scientific manner，administering cyber—space in a lawful manner，and ensuring Internet security for all．
In October，the Sixth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee was convened．During this session，a decision was approved to deepen the reform of China’s cultural system and promote the development of its cultural industry to achieve the strategic goal of developing China into a socialist cultural power．We will act in accordance with this aim by taking part in extensive dialogues with other nations in order to improve cultural openness，strengthen Sino—foreign cultural exchanges，absorb the wisdom of other countries，and better promote Chinese culture to the world．
Looking ahead for the year 2012，we believe that profound changes will continue to take place within the international realm and that the interdependency between nations will continue to deepen as their interests increasingly converge，even though factors negatively affecting the stability and certainty of world peace and development may increase．The Central Economic Work Conference，which was just wrapped up，had an in—depth analysis on domestic and international situations，and outlined the overall economic work in the coming year．China is ready to face any new domestic and international situations，and will ensure a stable and relatively fast economic growth next year．That is，the macroeconomic policies will remain stable，the economy will grow stably and relatively fast，the overall price level will remain stable，and social stability will be maintained；China will continue to take advantage of the important period of strategic opportunities，make progress in transforming the pattern of economic growth，achieve breakthroughs in deepening the reform and opening up，and improve the well—being of its people．The SCIO will，as always，continuously brief the world on China’s events and affairs，consolidate the mutual exchange of information and cooperation with media outlets and reporters with the aim of enhancing the understanding on China’s basic reality, values，path of development，and its domestic and foreign policies，and in turn presenting a true reflection of China to the international community, a China that is open and adhering to the path of peaceful development．2012 will be of special significance in terms of China’s development．This year, the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is scheduled to be held．We are committed to doing our part in introducing the Party’s policies to the world and providing a good environment of information for the congress．
As we celebrate the coming of Christmas and the New Year，I would like to extend seasonal greetings to you a11．Merry Christmas and Happy New Year！May I propose a toast to our continued collaboration and friendship in the New Year，and to the health and happiness of you and your loved ones！Cheers!