H.E. Mr. Lan Lijun, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Canada attended two Chinese New Year celebration banquets held respectively by the Ottawa and Gatineau Chapter of the Canada-China Friendship Society on February 1 and February 8, 2009. Around 400 guests attended the celebration banquets, including Canadian government officials, members of Parliament and former Canadian Ambassador to China.  

Ambassador Lan made warm remarks, wishing everybody a happy, healthy and prosperous year of OX. And he said, in 2009, China and Canada should work more closely together to meet economic challenges and further improve and develop Sino-Canadian bilateral relations.