Toast at the Banquet Held by the Dalai and Panchen[1] to Celebrate the Tibetan Wood Sheep New Year
(February 24, 1955)

Dalai Lama, Panchen Erdeni, all sirs, all comrades:
On the occasion of the Tibetan New Year, let us extend congratulations to the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni, congratulations to all personnel from Xizang in Beijing, and congratulations to all the Tibetan people in Xizang and other regions! We all should strive to further strengthen and consolidate the unity among the various nationalities of our country, to further strengthen and consolidate the unity between the Han and Tibetan nationalities and within the Tibetan nationality, and to jointly build our great motherland.
Let us toast to the health of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni, to the health of all the clerical and lay personnel from Xizang in Beijing, and to the great unity of our country's nationalities!

[1] Dalai, refers to Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, who was then Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Panchen, refers to Panchen Erdeni Chökyi Gyaltsen, who was then Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.