Good evening and happy Chinese New Year.

This evening, we are here to celebrate the release of the Shanghai Spring Radio Series by the WFMT Radio Network as well as all the cooperative programs between the WFMT Radio Network and Shanghai East Radio.

I am here not only as Chinese Consul General in Chicago, but also as a big fan of WFMT Radio. As Mr. Steve Robinson mentioned, I listen to WFMT Radio almost everyday. Actually, I would feel like my daily life incomplete without listening to it. Although I listen to it so often, I haven’t paid anything for it. So sorry, Steve, I really owe you a lot.

I have many reasons to commend the WFMT Radio Network and Shanghai East Radio for their wonderful cooperation. They have done a fantastic job in bringing the fine US and Chinese music to the listeners in our respective countries, and they are even more ambitious with their future cooperative programs. By doing that, they have built another important bridge connecting two different cultures and contributed to the strengthening of mutual understanding of our two peoples.

Their cooperation is of special significance to Chicago, because Shanghai and Chicago are sister cities. These two sisters are indeed very lucky, since they have such excellent radio stations.

We certainly wish the WFMT Radio Network and Shanghai East Radio more success in their future cooperation and we will for sure continue to give them our strong support. On this occasion, I wish to express my appreciation to Mr. Steve Robinson and Mr. Shen Shuqiang of Shanghai East Radio for their pioneering work in making these cooperative programs possible. My appreciation also goes to Ms. Jennifer Hou Kwong, the Abbott Labs and the Chinese Fine Arts Society as well as all the enterprises, organizations and individuals who have made their contribution to these projects and this evening’s event.

In particular, I wish to express my appreciation to Mr. David Thurm and the Art Institute of Chicago. As you all know, the AIC has always played a very active role in promoting the cultural ties between Chicago and China.

In closing, I wish all of you a healthy and prosperous Year of the Monkey. Thank you.