Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang at Online Welcoming Reception:Forge ahead with the Original Mission Firmly in Mind
（From Chinese Embassy in UK）
2021/07/14
Good morning!
Thank you, Director General and Lord Sassoon, and thank you all for coming to this special reception.
As you probably know, I arrived in the UK on June 6th and had the honour of presenting my Letter of Credence to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on July 7th.
It is a great honour to be appointed by President Xi Jinping Ambassador of China to the UK, and with this honour come heavy responsibilities. I am here with the sincerity for stronger friendship and cooperation between our two peoples, and I look forward to working with the British Government and friends from all sectors to promote the sound and steady development of China-UK relations.
China becomes largest destination in Asia for foreign students As China has carried out increasingly closer exchanges and cooperation with various countries in education during the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), more and more international students are being attracted to the country, making it the most popular destination in Asia for foreign students. According to relevant statistics, the number of international students in China exceeded 440,000 in 2016, rising to 492,200 in 2018.
Foreign students of Jiangsu University of Science and Technology making dumplings with residents in Zhenjiang, east China’s Jiangsu province, to celebrate the Winter Solstice Festival, or Dongzhi on Dec. 21. (Photo/Shi Yucheng)