（December 16, 2025 12:45-14:00 VIC Mozart）
Your Excellency Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret,
Prof.Dr. Beate Czerwenka,
Dear colleagues and friends,
Welcome to this reception. We are here to celebrate the journey of six years, from Chongqing through Vienna and New York to Accra. It tells a vivid story about whenever there is a need and a will, there can be a way that lead us to meaningful multilateral efforts with concrete results benefiting many countries.
China is proud to be part of the driving force of this process from the very beginning. Chongqing is an important departure city for the China-Europe freight train. It began with creative practices of enterprises in Chongqing and Sichuan of using railway consignment note as document of title when conducting trade with European partners. Due to the absence of international rules, such innovative practices inevitably faced significant limitations. China submitted a proposal at the 52nd session of UNCITRAL in July 2019, recommending the development of new international rules in this regard. With joint efforts within the framework of UNCITRAL, with wide participation of governments, industries and academics, we eventually make this convention happen.
The convention will greatly promote the diversification and facilitation of transport document financing, boosting trade, prosperity and development, particularly in landlocked countries. This achievement reflects a shared commitment to developing practical, future-oriented legal framework for modern commerce. It will help build a more efficient, resilient, and digitalized international trade ecosystem.
By establishing a series of rules, it serves the best coordination and modernization of international commercial law, as an important international public good for the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Governance Initiative and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. It is also an important international public good jointly created by all participating parties. As Anna has just mentioned, following the Beijng Convention on Judicial Sales of Ships adopted in 2022, this convention is another real action of true multilateralism of all the partners involved and the latest outcomes of global trade development.
Yesterday I had dinner with a group of Ambassadors in my residence. When we look back over the past year and look forward to the years to come, colleagues inevitably had mixed or even bitter feelings. What should we do to make the UN survive and revive? I told colleagues that multilateralism is the answer. WE are the answer. The convention IS the answer. By working together, we can deliver!
I would like to convey the warmest congratulations from H.E. Amb. Li Chenggang, International Trade Representative of China and Vice Minister of Commerce who initiated this journey in the MOFCOM some years ago, to all of us that have contributed in this journey, especially to Anna and her team, for your outstanding efforts.
China is ready to join hands with all parties to make greater contribution to world peace, common development and prosperity.
“Six” is indeed a very lucky number according to the Chinese tradition and wisdom. It will bring more luck to the preparation of the signing ceremony in Accra. All the best wishes to all of you for the holiday season and the coming New Year!
Thank you.