A New Year reception for diplomatic envoys to China from SCO countries was held in Beijing on the evening of January 18. 

This event was jointly organized by the CICG Center for Europe and Asia (also known as China Pictorial Publications) and the China Book Center, in collaboration with China International Book Trading Corporation.

Attendees of the reception included Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), Grigory Logvinov, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Zhou Li, former deputy director of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Many diplomatic envoys from SCO countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and experts from the SCO Secretariat attended the reception. Attendees also included Chinese and foreign representatives of political, diplomatic, media and think-tank circles.

CICG President Du Zhanyuan started his speech by offering greetings to guests attending the reception. Du said in his speech that 2021 marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the SCO, and over the past two decades, the SCO has developed into a comprehensive regional cooperation organization that covers the largest area and population in the world.

In 2021, thanks to strong support from the SCO Secretariat and the embassies of SCO countries in China, CICG successfully held many events, including various promotion activities for President Xi Jinping's works in the languages of SCO countries and the SCO Media and Think Tank Forum, and launched cooperation projects such as the Biography of Silk Road Cities book series and the mutual translation and publication project of Biography of Famous Cities in China and Kazakhstan, which effectively promoted exchange, dialogue and harmonious coexistence of different civilizations.

In 2022, CICG will give full play to the advantages of the CICG Center for Europe and Asia (China Pictorial Publications) to strengthen international communication with SCO countries. Besides, it will continue to organize a series of activities including the SCO Media and Think Tank Forum and the Chinese Calligraphy Competition while reporting on friendly exchange between China and other SCO countries to promote mutual understanding and friendship among SCO members.

Grigory Logvinov, deputy secretary-general of the SCO, said in his speech that the SCO Secretariat spoke highly of the efforts made by the CICG and the CICG Center for Europe and Asia in promoting mutual understanding, mutual respect, mutual trust and friendship among the SCO members.

"Spring Festival is the most important festival of the year for Chinese. During the Spring Festival, the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be held in Beijing, which is set to become the first-ever city to host both Summer and Winter Olympics," he said.

And he believes that the Beijing Winter Olympics will be a great success, and the city will deliver a spectacular Games to the world at which athletes will create new world records.

Zhou Li, former deputy director of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a toast speech.

"The Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are about to open. I would like to thank the SCO family for their strong support to the Games," he noted. "The official motto of Beijing 2022, 'Together for a Shared Future', will surely deepen the friendship between peoples and countries, boost mankind's confidence in overcoming difficulties, and make the Olympic spirit of solidarity and unity shine more brightly."

At the reception, the guests enjoyed performance of the Chinese folk music works Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon and Jasmine Flower. They also visited a CICG book exhibition, experienced traditional Chinese tea art, and learned to write the Chinese character "Fu" (meaning "happiness") with an ink brush to intimately soak up traditional Chinese Spring Festival customs.

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