Prosperity poised to blossom

Download

A newly cultivated variety of tulip was named "Cathay" in the Netherlands on Sunday by Peng Liyuan, who is visiting the country with her husband President Xi Jinping.

After Peng poured champagne to bless the tulip, Dutch Queen Maxima offered it as a gift to China's first lady. Cathay is the old name of China in Holland, and is translated as guotai, meaning "prosperous country."

And prosperity is exactly what leaders of both countries are hoping for.

The countries decided on Sunday to build a partnership that stresses openness and pragmatism, according to a statement issued after Xi's meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Xi is on a state visit ahead of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague that starts on Monday.

He proposed that the countries maintain high-level exchanges and respect each others' core interests and major concerns, while emphasizing cooperation in areas including dairy, flood control, training of talent, food safety, and technological research and development.

Rutte said his country will promote Sino-European collaboration within the EU, and said the Netherlands hopes to expand bilateral trade and two-way investment.

On Sunday, Xi and Rutte witnessed the signing of several trade agreements, including cooperation in energy and dairy, and the launching of a Chinese cultural center in the Netherlands.

Xi also attended the opening ceremony of a trade and investment forum with Dutch King Willem-Alexander.

The Netherlands has been China's second-biggest trading partner in the European Union for 11 years. It is also China's third-largest source of foreign direct investment in the EU.

Meanwhile, China is the biggest trading partner and second largest source of investment for the Netherlands outside the EU.

Questions:

1. President Xi will be attending what type of meeting in The Hague this week?

2. Who are the king and queen of the Netherlands?

3. What is the name of the new variety of tulip given to China’s first lady?

Answers:

1. A two-day Nuclear Security Summit.

2. Willem-Alexander and Maxima.

3. Cathay.

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.