Ambassador Tong Xiaoling presenting a token of appreciation to the Minister of Energy.	Madam Tong Xiaoling delivering her speech.
Ambassador Tong with the Minister of Energy and his spouse cutting the cake to mark the 58th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China.	Ambassador Tong viewing the photo exhibition with Brunei Minister of Energy Pehin Awg Haji Yahya.
Mr Niu Dun, the Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculturwith Brunei Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Dato Paduka Haji Hamdillah.	Invited guests during the reception held at the Empire Hotel & Country Club to mark the 58th anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China yesterday.
Traditional Chinese dance performances put up by students from Chinese schools.	A singing performance.

The friendly ties and cooperation enjoyed between China and Brunei were lauded by Madam Tong Xiaoling, the Chinese Ambassador to Brunei, during a reception at the Empire Hotel and Country Club to mark the 58th anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China.

The guests of honour  was Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya, the Minister of Energy at the PMO and Datin Dayang Hajah Norlina binti Dato Haji Abu Bakar. Also present at the reception were the visiting Vice Minister of Agriculture from the People's Republic of China, Mr Niu Dun, Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Dato Paduka Haji Hamdillah, senior goverement officials, prominent figures from the local Chinese community and foreign dignitaries.

Madam Tong Xiaoling said: "Last year, the People's Republic of China and Brunei Darussalam celebrated the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties together. This year, the good neighbourly relations of friendship and cooperation have maintained the sound momentum of all-round development."

Highlighting the frequent high level exchanges from China, she outlined the visits of Mr Wu Guanzheng, the former members of the standing committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Madam Gu Xiulian, Vice Chairperson of the standing committee of the National People's Congress and General Chen Bingde, member of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party.

Ambassador Tong also revealed that China will have the honour to receive His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, at the 4th China-Asean Expo which will be held in Nanning, China on October 28.

On the various cooperation in other fields, she said, "The military to military relationship between two countries marked its milestone with the mutual assignment of defence attaches and exchanges and cooperation in areas of energy, trade, culture, education and public health, which have been dynamic and making headway."

She believes that with the joint effort, the relations between the People's Republic of China and Brunei Darussalam will be increasingly consolidated, the traditional friendship between peoples from both countries will continuously strengthened and that cooperation in all fields will reap even more benefits.

Speaking on the state of China's economy, she said with a GDP of US$2.6 trillion in 2006, China is ranked the fourth largest in the world, while its import and export volume accounts for US$1.7 trillion which makes it the third largest in the world.

She added, "A blueprint has been drawn for the nation's first decades of the 21st Century, that is a 'moderately prosperous society in all respects', benefiting a population of more than 1.3 billion. In that society, economy shall further develop, democracy further expand, science and education further progress, culture prosper, society be further harmonious and people's lives further well off."

To entertain the invited guests, there was an array of performances presented by students from Chinese schools.