Chinese President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with ambassadors at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 14, 2021. Xi Jinping on Wednesday received the credentials of new ambassadors to China from 29 countries at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, April 14  -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday received the credentials of new ambassadors to China from 29 countries at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The ambassadors are:

-- Javid Ahmad Qaem from Afghanistan.

-- Georgios Iliopoulos from Greece.

-- Tarik Bukvic from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

-- Jean Louis Robinson from Madagascar.

-- Luca Ferrari from Italy.

-- Abrao Dos Santos from Timor-Leste.

-- KS (Vincent) Sivas from the Federated States of Micronesia.

-- Gafar Karar Ahmed K. from Sudan.

-- Alain Wong Yen Cheong from Mauritius.

-- Mahendra Bahadur Pandey from Nepal.

-- Moin Ul Haque from Pakistan.

-- Dumitru Braghis from Moldova.

-- Thomas Oestrup Moeller from Denmark.

-- Jan Hoogmartens from Belgium.

-- Nasser Al Busaidi from Oman.

-- Masanneh Nyuku Kinteh from Gambia.

-- Saidzoda Zohir from Tajikistan.

-- Caroline E. Wilson from the U.K.

-- Felix Plasencia from Venezuela.

-- Tarumi Hideo from Japan.

-- Siyabonga C. Cwele from South Africa.

-- Palitha Kohona from Sri Lanka.

-- Senko Yury from Belarus.

-- Ann Derwin from Ireland.

-- Irit Ben Abba from Israel.

-- Antonio Serifo Embalo from Guinea-Bissau.

-- Ri Ryong Nam from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

-- Shorsh Khalid Said from Iraq.

-- Sabino Vaca Narvaja from Argentina.

Siddharth Chatterjee, the new United Nations resident coordinator in China, submitted a letter of appointment.

Xi took a group photo with the envoys and delivered a speech. He asked them to convey his good wishes to the leaders of their countries.

He said that over the past year, the Chinese people and the people of other countries have worked together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a new chapter in the history of global friendly cooperation.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and it is also the first year for China to implement its 14th Five-Year Plan and embark on a new journey to fully building a modern socialist country, Xi said.

He said China will firmly implement its new development philosophy and actively forge a new development paradigm so that its development will better benefit the peoples of all countries.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations, and the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Xi said China stands ready to work with other countries to firmly support multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core and the international order based on international laws, staunchly safeguard the multilateral trade system, firmly advance the construction of the global governance system, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The Beijing Winter Olympics will be held next year, Xi said. "We have confidence that with the active support and participation of all parties, we will overcome the impact of the pandemic and host the games in a simple, safe, and wonderful manner."

Xi stressed that the Chinese people always cherish friendship and love peace, stand ready to deepen friendship, enhance mutual trust and expand cooperation with people from all countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefits, and jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality.

He expressed the hope that the envoys will make active contributions to the promotion of bilateral relations as well as the cooperation between the United Nations and China.

Wang Yi attended the event.