The Honourable Virginia Judge,New South Wales Minister for the Arts,

Ms Sandra McPhee, Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales,

Mr Edmund Capon, Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to attend the official opening of this wonderful exhibition: The First Emperor: China's Entombed Warriors.

The world famous Terracotta warriors is the crystallization of the ancient Chinese civilization and the pride of the Chinese nation.

The display of these artistic gems here in Australia will help the Australian people gain a better understanding of Chinese history and culture.

This is very important for us, because better understanding and appreciation of each other's history and culture is the cornerstone for fostering deeper friendship and closer ties between our peoples.

This exhibition is one of the first major events of the "Year of Chinese Culture" in Australia which, I believe, will bring more exciting events like this to Australia and build cultural bridges between our two countries.

Let me take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to the Art Gallery of New South Wales and all those who have contributed to the successful opening of this exhibition in Australia.

To conclude, I wish the exhibition every success.