筑牢地基，建好大厦
Cement the Foundation for the Edifice of China-UK Relations
刘晓明大使在英国保守党2019年中国春节晚宴上的演讲
Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Chinese New Year Dinner by the Cities of London and Westminster Conservative Association
2019年2月11日晚，伦敦煌庭餐厅
Bright Courtyard Club, 11 February 2019
尊敬的英国外交国务大臣菲尔德阁下，
尊敬的伦敦金融城和西敏市保守党协会华人小组主席叶谋迪先生，
女士们，先生们：
Minister Mark Field,
Chairman Tony Ip,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
大家过年好！
Happy Chinese New Year!
很高兴第五次出席英国保守党伦敦金融城和西敏市协会中国春节晚宴，同大家共庆农历己亥猪年春节。
It is a real delight to join you to celebrate the Year of the Pig. This is the fifth time that I have attended the Chinese New Year Dinner held by the Cities of London and Westminster Conservative Association.
连日来，英国政府、政党、议会、企业、学校和社区纷纷举办春庆活动。前不久，首相府贴春联、挂灯笼，梅首相同华人华侨一同剪窗花、点狮睛，共庆佳节。昨天，我们在特拉法加广场成功举办亚洲之外规模最大的春节庆典。正如我对特拉法加广场70万英国民众和各国游客所说，“春节已成为中英两国人民共同的节日”。
In recent days, the Chinese New Year is celebrated across the UK, from the government to the Parliament, from political parties to businesses, and from schools to communities. In recent days, the Chinese New Year is celebrated across the UK, from the government to the Parliament, from political parties to businesses, and from schools to communities. A few days ago, Number 10 Downing Street was decorated with traditional Chinese couplets and lanterns. Prime Minister May joined members of the Chinese community to celebrate the festival with paper-cutting and “lion eye dotting”. Yesterday, the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia was held at Trafalgar Square. As I said to seven hundred thousand British people and international tourists gathered in Trafalgar Square, “The Chinese New Year is increasingly becoming a festival for both the Chinese and British people.”
英国保守党长期致力于发展中英关系。在保守党执政期间，中英关系实现了四次“飞跃”：一是中英建立代办级外交关系；二是中英关系升格为大使级外交关系；三是两国签署关于香港问题的《联合声明》；四是开启中英关系“黄金时代”。去年以来，中英关系保持发展。保守党以字母“C”开头，我就用三个“C”来总结去年中英关系的特点。
The Conservative Party has long been committed to developing China-UK relations. This helps to explain why China and Britain under a Conservative government have been able to achieve four major leaps in our bilateral relations: The first leap was the establishment of diplomatic relationship at the level of chargé d’affaires. The second leap was the upgrading to ambassadorial diplomatic ties. The third leap was the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong. And the fourth leap was the beginning of the China-UK “Golden Era”. Over the past year, China-UK relations have continued to grow. I would like to borrow the capital letter C of the Conservatives Party to summarise the three features of our relations.
第一个是“Cooperation”，合作成果丰硕。中英经贸、金融、基础设施、“一带一路”合作亮点纷呈。全年两国贸易额达804.4亿美元，首超800亿大关；其中英对华出口238.8亿美元，同比增长6.9%。50多家英企业参加首届中国国际进口博览会，双方签署20多亿英镑商业合同。中国农业银行、浦发银行在英设立分行。中再集团成功收购桥社英国控股公司100%股权，这是2017年以来中国企业最大跨境保险业收购，也是中国再保险行业首次跨境收购。英议会成立跨党派“一带一路”和中巴经济走廊小组，两国“一带一路”合作走深走实。
The first C stands for “cooperation”. China-UK cooperation has yielded fruitful results in trade and investment, financial services, infrastructure development and the Belt and Road Initiative. Bilateral trade was $80.44 billion, exceeding $80 billion for the first time; British export to China reached $23.88 billion, increasing by 6.9% year on year. More than 50 British companies took part in the first China International Import Expo, where over £2 billion of business deals were signed between the two sides. The Agricultural Bank of China and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank set up branches in Britain. China Re completed its 100% equity acquisition of Chaucer Holdings. This was the largest cross-border acquisition by a Chinese company since 2017. It is also the very first by a re-insurer from China. The All Party Parliamentary Group on the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was set up. China-UK cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative has gone deeper and become more substantial.
第二个是“Closeness”，民众相近相知。在英中国留学生增至18万；1万多英国学生赴华学习，600多所英中小学开设中文课程，汉语首次成为英高考第三大外语科目。在利物浦国家博物馆举办的“秦始皇与兵马俑”参观人次超过60万，创该馆特展纪录；小猪佩奇成为中国最流行的卡通人物。两国还开通8条新直航航线，航运增至每周150班，每年人员往来超过150万人。
The second C stands for the “closeness” of ties between the people of our two countries. As we speak, there are 180,000 Chinese students studying here in Britain, and more than 10,000 British students in China. Over 600 primary and secondary schools in the UK have included the Chinese language in their curriculum. And for the first time, the Chinese language has become the third most popular foreign language in A-level exams. The exhibition “China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors” hosted by the World Museum of Liverpool attracted more than 600,000 visitors. This has set a record for special exhibitions at the Museum. Eight new direct flights have been launched between our cities. Passenger flight capacity has risen to 150 per week, facilitating more than one and a half million mutual visits every year. More recently, as we ring in the Year of the Pig, Peppa Pig became the most popular cartoon character in China.
第三个是“Coordination”，国际协作提升。双方在联合国、G20和WTO等国际组织内合作良好，在反对保护主义、单边主义和支持自由贸易、多边主义等方面共识更加突出，在伊朗核、朝鲜核、叙利亚等热点问题上保持沟通协调。
The third C stands for “coordination” on international affairs. China and the UK have engaged in sound cooperation in international organisations such as the UN, G20 and WTO. We have broad consensus on opposing protectionism and unilateralism and supporting free trade and multilateralism. We have maintained communication and coordination on hotspot issues such as the Iran nuclear issue, the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and Syria.
女士们，先生们，
Ladies and Gentlemen:
春节是辞旧迎新的时刻。2019年是新中国成立70周年，也是中英建立代办级外交关系65周年。展望新的一年，我想再用三个“C”来谈谈对中英关系的期许。
As we say goodbye to the old year, we should get ready for the new year. In 2019, China will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic; China and the UK will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship at the level of chargé d’affaires. Looking ahead, I have three hopes for China-UK relations in the new year. And, I am going to again use three C’s to share my hopes with you.
第一个是“Confidence”，两国之间的信任。中英关系的大厦建造得高不高，关键要看“地基”打得牢不牢。这个“地基”就是两国之间的互信。双方应着眼长远和大局，坚持视彼此发展视为机遇，尊重彼此主权、安全和发展利益，妥善处理分歧，不断增进战略互信，筑牢两国关系的基础。只有如此，我们才能将中英关系的大厦建得更高、更好、更坚固。
First, I hope for “confidence” between our two countries. If we compare China-UK relations to a building, it could not stand tall without a solid foundation. This foundation is the mutual confidence between our two countries. To strengthen this foundation, we should keep the long-term interests and larger picture in mind, look at each other’s development as opportunities, respect each other’s sovereignty, security and right to development, handle our differences properly, and enhance strategic mutual trust. With these, we can ensure that the building of China-UK relations stands tall and strong.
第二个是“Constructive”，建设性的伙伴。当前，全球经济下行压力加大，保护主义、单边主义大行其道。在此背景下，中英应倡导自由贸易，反对保护主义，推进开放合作，加强战略对接，不断深化在贸易、金融、核电、基建等领域合作，探索加强人工智能、绿色能源、数字经济、“一带一路”合作等新型领域合作，共同为建设开放型世界经济做出贡献。今年中国将召开第二届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛和第二届中国国际进口博览会，欢迎英方积极参与。同时，我们也希望英方为中国企业提供公平、透明、非歧视性的营商环境，使像华为这样优秀的中国企业感到英国欢迎他们，英国值得信任和投资。
Second, I hope for “constructive” partnership. The world economy is under downward pressure, with surging protectionism and unilateralism making things doubly difficult. Against this situation, it is all the more important that China and the UK advocate free trade, oppose protectionism and promote open cooperation. We should maximize the synergy between our development strategies. We should explore deeper cooperation in new areas such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, digital economy and the Belt and Road Initiative. We should work together to promote an open world economy. In a couple of months, China will host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Later in the year, the second China International Import Expo will take place. I look forward to a strong representation from Britain at these events. At the same time, we hope that the UK would continue to provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies. We hope you will make successful Chinese companies such as Huawei feel welcome here in Britain, and convince them that the UK is a trustworthy place to put their money.
第三个是“Cordial”，人民之间的友谊。中英两国都是文化大国，都为人类文明发展做出过重要贡献。希望双方不断加强人文交流，增进相互理解和友谊，夯实两国友好民意基础，为促进中西方文明交流互鉴、不同文明国家“和合共生”树立良好典范。
Third, I hope for “cordial” bond between our people. Both China and the UK are known for their profound cultural heritage and important contribution to the progress of human civilisation. I hope that in the new year our two countries will continue to enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and deepen mutual understanding and strengthen friendship. Cordial bond and better understanding between our people cement public support for friendship between our two countries, enhance exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese and Western culture, and set a good example of harmonious coexistence of different civilisations.
女士们，先生们，
Ladies and Gentlemen:
在中国传统文化中，猪是六畜之首，猪年预示着风调雨顺、五谷丰登。在这个吉祥的年份，希望中英各界携手努力，开拓进取，不断筑牢两国关系的“地基”，将中英关系的大厦修建得更加坚固、更加宏伟！
In China, pig is traditionally regarded as the most important of the six domesticated animals. The Year of the Pig often foretells good weather and bumper harvest. I hope that, in this auspicious year, people from all walks of life in both our two countries will join hands to cement the foundation for a solid and magnificent edifice of China-UK relations!
最后，祝大家猪年身体健康、阖家幸福、万事如意！
In conclusion, I wish you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Pig!
谢谢！
Thank you!