为了亚洲人民的团结和友谊——习近平主席为出席杭州亚运会开幕式的国际贵宾举行欢迎宴会侧记

秋分时节，之江大地丹桂飘香；雷峰塔下，西子湖畔烟雨蒙蒙。

“很高兴同各位新老朋友相聚美丽的西子湖畔，共同迎接第十九届亚洲运动会。”

9月23日中午，国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛在浙江省杭州市西子宾馆漪园举行宴会，欢迎来华出席杭州第19届亚运会开幕式的国际贵宾。

9月23日中午，国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛在浙江省杭州市西子宾馆举行宴会，欢迎来华出席杭州第19届亚洲运动会开幕式的国际贵宾。这是习近平发表致辞。新华社记者 黄敬文 摄

杭州亚运会是党的二十大胜利召开之后中国举办的规模最大、水平最高的国际综合性体育赛事，也是亚运会第三次来到中国。来自亚洲45个国家和地区的1.2万余名参赛运动员相聚杭城，共赴“心心相融，爱达未来”的亚运之约。亚洲多国领导人和国际体育组织负责人等贵宾出席开幕式。

11时45分，巨幅山水画《水光潋滟晴方好》前，习近平主席和夫人彭丽媛热情欢迎柬埔寨国王西哈莫尼、叙利亚总统巴沙尔和夫人阿斯玛、科威特王储米沙勒、尼泊尔总理普拉昌达、东帝汶总理夏纳纳、韩国总理韩德洙、马来西亚下议院议长佐哈里和夫人诺莱妮、亚奥理事会代理主席辛格和夫人维尼塔、国际奥委会主席巴赫等国际贵宾，同他们一一亲切握手、互致问候，并合影留念。

9月23日中午，国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛在浙江省杭州市西子宾馆举行宴会，欢迎来华出席杭州第19届亚洲运动会开幕式的国际贵宾。这是习近平和彭丽媛同贵宾们合影留念。新华社记者 黄敬文 摄

宴会大厅内，展现西湖胜景的主背景营造出水天一色的开阔意象。天青色的《富春山居图》尽显江南山水秀美风韵。主餐台上，从百山祖群峰到东海大陈岛，从“三潭印月”到京杭大运河，从钱塘江到安吉余村，一个个浙江地标微缩写意景观，与象征杭州第19届亚运会的19条青绿色赛道交相辉映，勾勒出之江大地绿水青山的瑰丽画卷。

在《和平——命运共同体》乐曲声中，习近平主席健步走上讲台，发表热情洋溢的致辞。

“今天是中国农历的秋分节气。在这个寓意丰收和团圆的日子，亚运会圣火将再次在中国点燃。”

回顾筹办亚运历程，讲述中国办赛理念，习近平主席以“亚洲运动会承载着亚洲人民对和平、团结、包容的美好向往”阐释杭州亚运会之于亚洲、之于世界的时代价值，彰显以体育为媒促进人类进步的深邃思考。

“以体育促和平”——

第二次世界大战结束后不久诞生的亚运会，因和平而生、因和平而兴。几十年来，亚运会在总体和平稳定的地区环境中见证了“风景这边独好”的亚洲奇迹，也记录下中国在和平发展道路上与亚洲、与世界相互交融、相互成就的坚实步伐。

宴会上，承载着中国人民集体记忆的北京亚运会歌曲《亚洲雄风》和杭州亚运会主题曲《同爱同在》，传递着中国推动亚洲各国团结自强、命运与共的不变初心。

放眼世界，百年未有之大变局加速演进，亚洲和平发展面临诸多新的挑战。

“作为山海相连、人文相亲的命运共同体，我们要以体育促和平，坚持与邻为善和互利共赢，抵制冷战思维和阵营对抗，将亚洲打造成世界和平的稳定锚。”习近平主席的坚定宣示，寄托着中国人民同亚洲各国人民共同守护和平家园的殷殷期待。

科威特王储米沙勒表示，习近平主席提出的共建“一带一路”倡议和全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议基于推动人类和平进步的崇高目标和宗旨，意义重大，科方坚定支持并积极参与。

“以体育促团结”——

杭州亚运会吸引了亚洲各国各地区运动员踊跃热情参与，参赛人数、项目设置、总体规模均创历史新高，不少国家和地区奥委会将其列为今年最重要的赛事。本届亚运会，亚奥理事会45个成员实现“大团圆”。

“遇山一起爬，遇沟一起跨”“甘蔗同穴生，香茅成丛长”，习近平主席曾引用这些亚洲谚语讲述团结合作的亚洲价值理念。杭州亚运会的盛况向世人昭示：纵使国际和地区形势变乱交织，亚洲人民对友谊的珍视、对团结的向往不可阻挡。

开幕前一天，习近平主席会见了老朋友国际奥委会主席巴赫。巴赫高度评价中国政府为国际奥林匹克运动作出重要贡献，表示“当前世界面临地缘冲突等各种困难，国际奥委会致力于捍卫多边主义，反对体育政治化，赞赏中方为此采取的正确立场”。

时隔半年多再次同习近平主席会面，柬埔寨国王西哈莫尼表示：“我坚信，在习近平主席坚强领导下，中国一定能够再次向世界呈现一届精彩绝伦的体育盛会，为促进亚洲大家庭的团结和友谊作出新的贡献。”

宴会致辞中，习近平主席的话语掷地有声：“我们要以体育促团结，把握历史机遇，合作应对挑战，践行‘永远向前’的亚奥理事会格言，把共同发展、开放融通的亚洲之路越走越宽。”

“以体育促包容”——

宴会上，浙江歌舞剧院民族乐团、浙江交响乐团的艺术家们演奏了《采茶舞曲》等富有地方特色的中国乐曲，和柬埔寨《怀念中国》、叙利亚《梦中之花》、东帝汶《东帝汶欢迎你》、尼泊尔《丝绸飘舞》、科威特《国旗高高飘扬》、韩国《爱》、马来西亚《嬷嬷的纱巾》等乐曲，汇聚成亚洲不同文明和合共生、美美与共的和谐交响。

亚洲是人类文明的重要发祥地，亚洲文化兼收并蓄、博采众长、充满活力。武术、藤球、克柔术、卡巴迪、围棋……杭州亚运会上，一个个富有不同地域、不同文化特色的项目，展现着亚洲文明的自信、包容与开放。

“我们要以体育促包容，增强文明自信，坚持交流互鉴，续写亚洲文明新辉煌。”习近平主席道出体育与文明的深刻关联。

杭州，自古就是人文鼎盛、文明交融之地，既被宋代欧阳修称赞“山水登临之美，人物邑居之繁”，也被马可·波罗誉为“世界上最美丽华贵之天城”。本届亚运会期间，来自各国各地区的亚运健儿，将在赛会内外亲身体验这座历史文化名城、创新活力之城、生态文明之都的魅力，也将在相互切磋和交流中增进理解和友谊。

致辞中，习近平主席向国际贵宾盛情介绍本届亚运会主办城市所在的浙江省：“浙江坚持改革开放，跑出了高质量发展的加速度，正在建设共同富裕示范区，是中国式现代化的先行者。”

今日之江，照鉴中国发展不凡历程。习近平主席曾在浙江工作多年。在习近平主席的亲切关怀下，浙江以“弄潮儿向涛头立”的开拓精神和奋进实践，书写下中国式现代化的精彩故事，为亚洲和世界打开观察当代中国和未来中国的一扇窗。

杭州亚运会开幕前，习近平主席专门安排三个半天的时间，分别同一位位新老朋友在西湖国宾馆亲切会面。不约而同，多位国际贵宾都对在习近平主席领导下中国取得的辉煌成就表示钦佩，相信中国将在中国特色社会主义道路上取得更大成就。

“祝愿大家在诗画浙江度过难忘的时光，在亚运会圣火下留下美好的记忆。”习近平主席真诚的话语打动人心。

在这个丰收和团圆的时节，习近平主席和国际贵宾共赴杭州亚运会开幕式。“中国特色、亚洲风采、精彩纷呈”的杭州亚运盛会，续写新时代中国推动构建亚洲命运共同体、人类命运共同体的崭新篇章。

文字记者：刘华、杨依军、王宾、殷晓圣

统筹：黄小希

Xi welcomes Hangzhou Asiad guests, highlighting sports' role in promoting peace, solidarity, inclusiveness

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcoming banquet in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Saturday hosted a banquet here to welcome guests who will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

HANGZHOU, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday hosted a banquet to welcome guests who are gathering in the scenic city of Hangzhou to attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games.

At a dining hall near the famed West Lake, Xi addressed the welcoming banquet in honor of guests including King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda of Nepal, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao of Timor-Leste, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of the Republic of Korea, and Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat of Malaysia Johari bin Abdul.

Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, and in the name of his wife Peng Liyuan and himself, extended a warm welcome to the guests.

The Chinese president talked beyond the Games, highlighting the sports' role in promoting peace, solidarity and inclusiveness among countries and peoples.

PEACE, UNITY, INCLUSIVENESS

The Asian Games embodies the Asian people's shared desire for peace, unity and inclusiveness. It has been a witness, participant and contributor of the Asian miracle -- the overall stability and rapid and sustained economic growth over the past decades, Xi said.

As members of a community with a shared future, Asian countries should pursue good neighborliness and mutual benefit, and reject the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, making Asia an anchor of world peace, the Chinese president said.

On unity, Xi said as humanity faces unprecedented global challenges, Asian people should seize the historic opportunity and jointly stand up to the challenges so as to open up broader prospects for the Asian road toward common development, openness and integration.

On inclusiveness, Xi stressed the efforts to promote inclusiveness through sports, enhance confidence in Asian civilizations, pursue exchanges and mutual learning, and renew the glory of Asian civilizations.

Asia is a region with diverse cultures, and the Asiad is a great opportunity for the athletes and delegations to further deepen mutual understanding and exchanges through the bond of sports, said Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, vice president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.

SPECTACULAR EVENT

With all 45 members of the Olympic Council of Asia sending over 12,000 athletes to the Games, the Hangzhou Asiad is already the Asiad with the most participants, most sports and largest overall scale.

The Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Palestine have each sent the largest delegation in their history of the Asian Games.

On Saturday evening, the opening ceremony will be staged in the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, a lotus-shaped facility capable of seating over 80,000 people.

Including the main stadium, a total of 56 sporting venues will host 481 Asiad events.

At Saturday's banquet, Xi said the cauldron for the Asian Games will light up again in China on the Autumn Equinox, a day symbolizing harvest and reunion in Chinese culture.

He said China has earnestly fulfilled its commitments and made every effort for the preparation of the Games.

"China will deliver a great event that is distinctly Chinese, uniquely Asian and spectacular," Xi said.

The Chinese president also expressed his confidence in the event's success when meeting with both Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia Raja Randhir Singh and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach before the opening ceremony.

"I believe we will have the greatest ever Asiad," Singh has said during an interview.

This will be the third Asiad in China following the Beijing games in 1990 and the Guangzhou games in 2010.

Hangzhou, the host city of the 19th Asiad in Zhejiang Province, was once hailed by Italian traveler Marco Polo as "the City of Heaven, the finest and the noblest in the world."

Xi wished all Asiad guests an unforgettable experience in Zhejiang and a fond memory of the Games. ■

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, pose for photo with guests during a welcoming banquet in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan on Saturday hosted a banquet here to welcome guests who will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcoming banquet in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Saturday hosted a banquet here to welcome guests who will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)