H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping
President of the People's Republic of China
At UN Headquarters

27 September 2015

Your Excellency Mr. Secretary-General,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

This Zun of Peace is presented by the Chinese government as a gift to the United Nations to commemorate its 70th anniversary. Today, I am delighted to jointly unveil this gift with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Zun of Peace is modeled after Zun, a bronze ritual object used in ancient China. Zun means reverence in Chinese, and this bronze ritual object is highly important in traditional Chinese culture. This gift represents China's high regard and support for the United Nations and the best wishes of the over 1.3 billion Chinese people to the organization.

This work is mainly in the color of "Chinese red", giving a warm and solemn touch to it. The dragons at the top represent guardians of peace, and the elephants and phoenixes on both sides convey wishes for prosperity across the world. The whole work is adorned with traditional auspicious patterns and elements of the Silk Road, representing China's vision of peace, development, exchanges and cooperation. The seven flying doves symbolize 70 years of the United Nations' dedication to world peace.

Zun of Peace is made with the cloisonné technique, an intangible cultural heritage of China. The technique originated in regions to China's west at that time and was further developed in China. Zun of Peace represents the time-honored history and modern civilization of the Chinese nation; and it also stands as a symbol of exchanges and mutual-learning between different civilizations and cultures in pursuit of common progress.

Zun of Peace expresses the aspiration of China and its people to promote peace, development, and win-win cooperation, which also underpins the UN Charter. As the organization enters a new decade, China will work with all countries to realize the dream of the United Nations.

Thank you!