Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese mission to the European Union, makes remarks at a reception celebrating the 69th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China, on Sept. 25, 2018. In the past 40 years, China's development has brought huge opportunities for the world to achieve common prosperity, Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese mission to the European Union, said on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- In the past 40 years, China's development has brought huge opportunities for the world to achieve common prosperity, Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese mission to the European Union, said on Tuesday.

Zhang made the remarks at a reception in Brussels celebrating the 69th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China which falls on Oct. 1.

The ambassador said that in the past 69 years, China has made strides toward greater prosperity and contributions to global peace and development.

"For years, China's contribution rate to global growth has remained above 30 percent," Zhang said in his welcoming speech.

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up.

The ambassador said that the reform and opening-up policy was key to China's economic development in the past 40 years, and the high-quality development of China's economy in the future "can only be achieved through greater opening-up."

China's GDP expanded 6.8 percent in the first half of the year. The growth has remained between 6.7 percent and 6.9 percent for 12 consecutive quarters, highlighting its economic resilience.

Zhang stressed that despite rising unilateralism and protectionism in some parts of the world, China remains determined to pursue greater opening-up.

Since the beginning of this year, China has introduced new measures to strengthen intellectual property rights protection, ease market access, improve business environment and boost imports.

"China will firmly uphold WTO rules and the multilateral trading system, and strive to build an open world economy," Zhang added.

To achieve common development and prosperity, China has advanced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the spirit of consultation, cooperation and benefit for all.

"China has been working hard to build a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind," Zhang said.

He emphasized that the development of China-EU relations has been maintaining a sound momentum.

China and the EU agreed to forge synergy between the BRI and the EU's strategy for connecting Europe and Asia, which will "not only create more opportunities for China and the EU, but also contribute to global growth," the ambassador said.

"China and the EU are major supporters of multilateralism and a rule-based multilateral trade system. It is in the interests of China and the EU to jointly uphold multilateralism and contribute to global peace, development and stability," he added.