Chinese Ambassador Publishes 70th Anniversary Article in Lithuanian Media

On October 1, 2019, in Lithuania, Chinese Ambassador Shen Zhifei (申知非) published a signed article titled “Seventy Years of Glory Forge the Dream of Prosperity and Strong Nation” (七十年辉煌铸就富民强国梦) in major Lithuanian media outlets including Lietuvos Rytas. The ambassador penned the article to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and promote “mutual benefit and win-win cooperation” (互利共赢). He also touted bilateral trade achievements, and positioned Lithuania as a partner in Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative (一带一路) as well as the China-Central and Eastern European Collaboration framework (中国—中东欧国家合作). Shen described growing Lithuanian participation in China’s import expo and cultural exchanges as evidence of deepening “friendship” (友谊), arguing both nations shared common aspirations as “dream chasers in the new era.” The article employed standard PRC diplomatic terminology about building a “community with shared future for mankind.”