On February 21, Deputy Consul General Cheng Hongbo attended and delivered remarks at the 17th Anniversary Spring Gala of HuaDu Association of Toronto. More than 600 guests were present, including Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, representatives from all three levels of government, and members of the local Chinese community.

Deputy Consul General Cheng Hongbo commended the HuaDu Association of Toronto for its longstanding efforts in uniting fellow natives of Huadu in the consular district, promoting friendship between China and Canada, supporting the development of their hometown, and fostering solidarity and mutual assistance within the Chinese community. He emphasized that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent successful visit to China has ushered the two countries into a new era of building a new strategic partnership. He called on overseas Chinese in the consular district and people from all sectors to work together to steer China–Canada relations onto a path of sound, stable, and sustainable development, and to jointly create a brighter future for bilateral ties. He also sincerely invited people from various sectors in the consular district to make full use of China’s visa-free policy for Canadian citizens and visit China more often to gain a true, multidimensional, and comprehensive understanding of the country.

Canadian dignitaries in attendance highly praised the positive achievements recently made in bilateral relations and expressed their expectation to further deepen practical cooperation between the two sides. They also commended the important role overseas Chinese and the Chinese community had played in promoting the development of Canada’s multicultural society, and affirmed their continued support for the growth of the Chinese community.