Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei (1st L) speaks at a ceremonial reception to mark the upcoming 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Kiev, Ukraine, Sept. 24, 2019. (Photo by Sergey Starostenko/Xinhua)

KIEV, Sept. 24 -- The Chinese Embassy in Ukraine on Tuesday hosted a ceremonial reception to mark the upcoming 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The event was attended by some 800 guests, including Ukrainian government and parliament officials, foreign diplomats, as well as Chinese and Ukrainian businessmen.

In a welcoming speech, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei highlighted the achievements scored by China over the past seven decades, saying that the country's success is the result of the hard work of the Chinese people.

"We celebrate the 70th anniversary of the PRC. Over the past 70 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have achieved successes in the development of the country, which attracts the attention of the whole world," said the ambassador.

"China has transformed from a poor and backward country into the world's second largest economy," he said.

On the special occasion, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasyl Bodnar congratulated China and conveyed best wishes to China from his ministry.

"Today, China is a world power and the most dynamic economy in the world, which is confidently following the path of peaceful development, effectively implementing a reform strategy and developing mutually beneficial cooperation with many countries," Bodnar said.

"We believe that developing a strategic partnership with China is extremely important as well as intensifying the political dialogue and building up economic, trade, and interpersonal contacts," said the Ukrainian diplomat.

The reception was one of the events held across Ukraine to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the PRC's founding.