It is in May of Shanghai, a pleasant spring time, with the flowers in their full blossom.

In the evening of May 20, 2014, President Xi Jinping held a banquet at Shanghai International Convention Center. On behalf of the Chinese government and the people, he welcomed the distinguished guests for the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) from the participating countries.

At nightfall, Xi Jinping, along with his wife Mme. Peng Liyuan, welcomed leaders and representatives and their wives from the participating countries and international organizations for the Summit at the Huaxia Hall of the International Conference Center, shaking hands with them respectively and exchanging greetings.

Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan, together with the distinguished guests, stepped into the Shanghai Hall. The welcome banquet started in the cheerful tune of welcome.

In his welcoming remarks, Xi Jinping noted that Asia today has now brought together the major emerging market economies of the world. Asia has become a leading and active place where different systems are undergoing reform and innovation and different cultures are merging and learning from each other. The rise of Asia has become an important driving force for the economic development of today's world and the progress of human civilization. Asian countries should join their hands, cherishing the rare opportunities for development facing them, to consolidate and maintain the sound momentum of development in Asia, and to promote the unity, cooperation and development of the whole Asia while realizing self-development, so as to usher in their own glory at an early date.

Xi Jinping stressed that as a security forum which covers the largest number of Asian countries, CICA enjoys broad prospects in pooling consensus in Asia, enhancing dialogues among civilizations and strengthening confidence-building and interaction. China's decision to take over the baton of CICA is another practical move which shows that China is looking forward to peace, committed itself to peace and safeguarding peace. Hope that the Shanghai Summit will leave an indelible mark on the history of CICA, and can make contributions to promoting dialogue, trust and interaction among the countries and to building a new Asia of peace, stability and cooperation with joint efforts.

Following the welcome banquet, the evening gala for the Fourth Summit of the CICA themed "United and Harmonious Asian Countries Move Towards Future Together" was performed at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

At eight in the evening, Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan walked into the theatre together with the distinguished guests, and received a warm welcome from the whole audience.

The epic dance "Dream-seeking on the Silk Road" opened the evening gala. Along with the tunes of the symphony "Light of Friendship", splendid sceneries of Asian countries appeared all the way on the stage. "The Beauty of the Operative Circle" displayed colorful Chinese opera art. A melodious song of "Reed Catkins" spoke of deep affection to homeland and mother. The ethnic dance of "Flying of Fancy Dance", against the backdrops of Mount Tianshan and Mount Qomolangma, showed an outburst of enthusiasm of Uyghur and Tibetan people. "Poetic Jiangnan", a mild and delicate pingtan (story-telling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect), told the delicate beauty of Jiangnan, the landscape south to the Yangtse River. Young dancers performed the "Rhyme of Book and Inspiration of Art", with their body movements as writing brushes in the sky and on the earth, showing the silence of beauty. Chinese folk song "The Flowing Stream" brought a sense of serenity and harmony. Piano, dance to drum beats and ballet jointly gave an instrumental performance of the passionate and magnificent movement "The Dream of Rivers Fulfilled" of Yellow River and Yangtse River. The evening gala concluded at the song and dance "For the Tomorrow". All the audiences stood up and gave a warm applause for the wonderful performances of the performers.

Tonight, gorgeous buildings stood on the banks of the Huangpu River with bright shining neon lights. People are looking forward to join their hands together to build an Asia of peace, tranquility, harmony and prosperity.

Wang Huning, Meng Jianzhu, Li Zhanshu, Han Zheng, Yang Jiechi and others were present at the above-mentioned events.