The National Immigration Administration (NIA) held a reception in Beijing on April 2, 2019, in celebration of the first anniversary of its establishment. Xu Ganlu, vice minister of Public Security and administrator of NIA, attended and addressed the reception. The reception was moderated by vice administrator Li Yulu. Vice administrators Yin Chengji, Qu Yunhai and Zhao Changhua attended the event.

A total of 119 foreign guests attended the reception, including ambassadors to China from Australia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam, high-level officials from the embassies in China of 42 countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, India, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and Argentina, and chief representatives in China of seven international organizations including International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Labour Organization (ILO), the League of Arab States (LAS), the European Union (EU), Nordic Police and Customs Liaison Office and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The reception was also attended by the head of the Immigration Division of the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing, and relevant personnel of the Department of Consular Affairs and the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Overseas Investment and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, the Department of International Cooperation of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, as well as the International Cooperation Bureau, Counter-terrorism Bureau and the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security.

In his address, Xu Ganlu briefly reviewed the achievements of NIA in the past year, stating that NIA has fully performed its statutory functions and will continue to uphold openness and cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries, and enhance China's immigration administration to further adapt to the development requirements of China and the world.

Xu noted that NIA will further facilitate the new paradigm of opening-up, closely integrate with China's new situation and new requirements for opening up, and take the initiative to create favorable conditions to attract more foreigners to travel, work and exchange in China, to support more Chinese citizens to go abroad, and to build a closer, more efficient, and deeper connection between China and the world.

Xu said that Chinese immigration administration reform will inject new impetus into economic and social development. NIA will fully learn and draw on advanced administrative ideas, strive to better align Chinese immigration administration system with Chinese people's expectations and requirements for a better life, and embark on a path to modernize immigration administration with Chinese characteristics. It will vigorously strengthen institutional and technological innovation, and do its best to develop a troop of professionals with high caliber in immigration administration.

Xu stressed that the Chinese immigration administration authority will ensure a safe and orderly environment for the entry and exit of Chinese and foreign nationals. NIA will never tolerate any forces intending to undermine the peaceful lives and work of the Chinese people, or the development and progress of China, neither will it leave illegal immigration activities unchecked. NIA will strengthen cooperation with counterparts from all countries to effectively fight terrorism, safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and protect by law the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese and foreign travelers.

Xu Ganlu pointed out that China's immigration administration will be more practical and efficient in external exchanges and cooperation. NIA will actively support the roles of the United Nations and IOM in promoting the orderly flow of global migration and enhancing immigration administration cooperation, and promote a more fair and reasonable governance system for global migration. It will further establish and improve bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms with relevant countries and international organizations, and adopt more targeted measures for more effective and practical cooperation. It will take the initiative to build platforms for exchanges and dialogues, continue to expand cooperation channels, diversify methods of cooperation, maintain close communication and contact, and further enhance mutual trust and understanding for better cooperation.

Giuseppe Crocetti, Chief of Mission in China of IOM, spoke as a representative of foreign guests at the reception. On behalf of IOM, he expressed his admiration and appreciation of NIA's achievements in the past year since its establishment, and pledged to strengthen cooperation with NIA in immigration administration service, border administration, immigration policy research and policy making, establishment of immigration administration system, and crackdown on irregular migration. He hoped to boost bilateral, regional and global immigration cooperation, and support NIA's furthering reform on immigration administration, to jointly contribute to global immigration governance.

Xu Ganlu, his colleagues at NIA and participants from other authorities in China had extensive and heated exchanges and interactions on topic of common concern with foreign guests at reception, during which they further introduced the responsibilities, tasks and working situation of NIA to foreign guests, elucidated the purpose and vision of China's immigration administration service, put forward relevant requirements and concerns, and took on board the opinions and suggestions from foreign guests on promoting Chinese immigration administration and deepening immigration cooperation.

Foreign participants extended their congratulations on the establishment of NIA, applauded the fruitful results of NIA in the past year, and highly recognized China's resolution in comprehensively furthering the reform and opening up of immigration administration. They all agreed that the reception held by NIA provides an exchange platform for all and builds a bridge for immigration cooperation. They looked forward to enhancing comprehensive and practical immigration cooperation with NIA, and making new contributions to facilitating the movement of Chinese and foreign nationals, and maintaining the order of exit and entry administration.

Attendees of the reception include heads of the departments, Party committee, directly affiliated units and relevant divisions of NIA, as well as officials of Beijing Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection General Station and the Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau. A promotional video of NIA was played at the reception, and a brochure and the Exit and Entry Service Guide for Foreign Nationals, which introduced NIA and relevant services and policies on immigration administration, were well received by the attending guests.

Notice: This English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version.