驻瑞典大使桂从友在斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所中欧互联互通研讨会晚宴上的致辞
Remarks by Ambassador Gui Congyou at Dinner of SIPRI China-EU Connectivity Workshop
2019年10月17日
20 October 2019
尊敬的各位专家、学者，
Distinguished experts and scholars,
女士们、先生们：
Ladies and gentlemen,
大家晚上好！
Good evening!
斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所举办这次研讨会，聚焦中欧互联互通，着眼“一带一路”倡议与欧盟“欧亚互联互通”战略相对接，契合中欧合作需求。
This seminar hosted by SIPRI focuses on China-EU connectivity and synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia, which is compatible with the need for China-EU cooperation.
我想围绕三个关键词谈谈对中欧互联互通的看法。
I would like to use three key words to elaborate my views on China-EU connectivity.
第一个是“变”。国际社会普遍认为中国的快速发展是当今全球最大的变化之一。的确，中国在变。我们刚刚隆重庆祝中华人民共和国成立70周年。70年来特别是改革开放40年来，中国发生了翻天覆地的巨大变化，从一穷二白变为稳居世界第二大经济体，8亿人脱贫，各项民生权益保障大幅提高。中国是全世界经济增长的最大贡献者，中国科技创新为世界经济增长注入新动能，未来中国经济对世界经济的主引擎和稳定器作用还会更加突出。
The first word is “change”. China’s rapid growth is generally believed by the international community to be one of the biggest changes of the world. Indeed, China is changing. We just celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China. Over the past 70 years especially the 40 years of reform and opening up, China realized a complete transformation, building itself into the world’s second largest economy from scratch. Eight hundred million people were lifted out of poverty and rights and interests of the Chinese people are significantly better guaranteed. China is the biggest contributor to global economic growth. Our innovation injects new momentum to global economic growth, and going forward China’s role as the main engine and anchor of global economy will only be more evident.
“变者，古今之公理也”。中国的变推动世界面临百年未有之大变局。 “变”的本质是世界秩序的历史演进，全球治理体制不断完善。相应的，中欧关系也进入新的发展阶段，双方关系的互补性、互利性和战略性显著上升。欧方作为世界重要一极，与中方一道共建和平、增长、改革、文明四大伙伴关系，共同捍卫多边主义、多边体系、多元文化，维护国际秩序和体系，对中欧双方乃至全世界都极为重要。
“Change is the only constant throughout history”. China’s change has contributed to the greater change of the world unseen in one hundred years. The nature of such change is the historical progression of world order and the continuous improvement of the global governance system. As the world is changing, China-EU relations have also entered a new stage, when our relations are increasingly characterized by complementarity, mutual benefits and strategic importance. As an important pole of the world, the EU working with China to build partnerships of peace, growth reform and civilization, defending multilateralism, multilateral system, diverse cultures and international norms and system, is extremely important to China, the EU and the world beyond.
第二个关键词是“通”。变通而图存是自古至今的中国智慧。通过加强彼此间互联互通，有助于我们应对当今世界层出不穷的挑战，推动全球发展和世界格局朝着符合全人类共同利益的方向转变。共建“一带一路”的关键正是互联互通，中欧对此不谋而合。欧盟委员会副主席赛夫科维奇曾说，“互联互通是欧盟基因的一部分。”去年，欧盟机构出台的“欧亚互联互通”战略明确将中国列为合作伙伴，双方领导人也就欧方“欧亚互联互通”战略与中方“一带一路”倡议加强对接达成共识。我们要修路而不是筑墙，要开放而不是相互封闭，要抱团取暖而不是单打独斗。
The second word is “connectivity”. Since ancient times, Chinese people have always believed in the idea that “Survival and prosperity through connectivity”. With greater connectivity, we will be better positioned to tackle emerging challenges of the world, and move global development and landscape to a direction that is in the interest of all human kind. The BRI is exactly about connectivity, a goal that the Chinese side and the EU converge on. “Connectivity is in the DNA of the EU”, noted by Vice President of the EU Mr. Maroš Šefčovič. Last year, the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia issued by the EU listed China as a cooperation partner, and leaders of China and the EU reached agreements on strengthening synergizing the BRI and the EU Strategy. What we need is roads instead of walls, openness instead of isolation, and prosperity through cooperation instead of going it alone.
中国与欧洲分处古代丝绸之路的两端，是共建“一带一路”的天然伙伴。截至今年7月，中欧班列开行超过1.7万列、通达中国境外16个国家53个城市，且运行质量不断提升，基本实现“去一回一”。2013至2018年，中国对“一带一路”沿线国家直接投资近900亿美元，在沿线国家建设合作区80多个，为当地创造就业岗位30多万个。欧盟已连续15年稳居中国第一大贸易伙伴，中国是欧盟第二大贸易伙伴，双方互为第一大进口来源地和第二大出口市场。今年前八个月，中欧贸易总值3.15万亿元人民币，同比增长9.7%。
China and Europe are at two ends of the ancient Silk Road. We are natural partners of the Belt and Road Initiative. As of July this year, there have been over 17,000 trips taken by China-EU freight trains, reaching 53 cities in 16 countries outside China. The quality of operation has been constantly improved, with almost all two-way trips fully loaded with freight. Between 2013 and 2018, China invested nearly USD 90 billion in countries along the route, setting up over 80 cooperation zones and creating more than 300,000 local jobs. The EU has been China’s largest trading partner for 15 years in a row, and China the second largest trading partner of the EU. We are also each other’s largest source of imports and second largest market of exports. From January to August this year, trade between China and the EU reached 3.15 trillion RMB, growing by 9.7% compared with last year.
中欧通过“一带一路”加强互联互通，正给双方乃至全球发展注入强劲动力。
The strengthened connectivity through BRI between China and Europe is injecting strong momentum into the development of China, the EU and the world.
第三个关键词是“久”。中欧互联互通将把作为世界经济增长引擎的亚太地区与世界最大经济体的欧盟连接起来，给欧亚大陆带来新的发展空间和机遇。双方携手推进贸易投资便利化自由化，深化经济技术合作，建立自由贸易区，能够最终形成庞大的欧亚大市场。因此，中欧不仅要实现高水平的互联互通，更要实现可持续的互联互通，从而推动实现欧亚大陆乃至全球的持久和平与繁荣发展。
The third word is “sustainability”. When China and the Europe are connected, the Asia-Pacific, the engine of global economic growth, and the EU, the world’s largest economy are connected. It will open new room and opportunities for development. China and the EU joining hands to promote trade and investment facilitation and liberalization, deepening economic and trade cooperation and establishing free trade areas will facilitate a vast Eurasian market. To this end, China and the EU not only need to have high-level connectivity, more importantly we need to have sustainable connectivity, so as to bring about lasting peace, prosperity and development in the Eurasian continent and the world.
一些欧洲国家对“一带一路”有些关切，主要集中在项目是否符合欧盟规则标准、是否绿色环保可持续等。可持续和高标准正是“一带一路”的生命力所在。我们同有关国家一道，为绿色可持续投资创造有利和稳定的政策环境，加强政府部门和金融机构的能力建设，强化企业社会责任，确保环境友好性、气候适应性和社会包容性融入“一带一路”投资项目和日常商业活动。
Some European countries may have some concerns on BRI, such as whether the projects meet EU standards and whether they are environmentally friendly and sustainable. In fact, sustainability and high standards are exactly the life of BRI. In cooperation with relevant countries, we create a favorable and stable policy environment for green and sustainable investment, increase the capacity of public and financial institutions, and strengthen corporate social responsibility, with a purpose to ensure that environmental friendliness, climate adaptability and social inclusiveness are part of BRI projects and day-to-day business activities.
建设高质量、可持续“一带一路”为瑞典等北欧国家带来了广阔机遇。瑞典的绿色创新和可持续发展经验、技术、产品在“一带一路”上大有用武之地。我们愿同瑞方加强应对气候变化合作，推动全球绿色、低碳、循环、可持续发展。瑞典政府提出要加强对中国的全面了解，鼓励与中国进行广泛对话。我们表示欢迎。中瑞双方完全可以就共建“一带一路”开展对话、交流、合作。
A high-standard and sustainable BRI brings broad opportunities to Sweden and other Nordic countries. Innovative and sustainable Swedish practices, technologies and products have tremendous potential along the Belt and Road. We are willing to step up cooperation with Sweden in addressing climate change and working towards global green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable development. We welcome the proposal by Swedish Government to increase knowledge on China and encourage broad exchanges with China. Our two sides may very well engage in dialogue, communication and cooperation on building the BRI together.
朋友们，爱尔兰剧作家萧伯纳曾说，没有改变，就不会有进步，而无法改变想法的人，什么也改变不了。我们生活在变革的时代，迎接的是进步与发展。各国都应摒弃成见、偏见，保持开放的胸怀，虚心学习其他文明，学习时代新知识，从而与时俱进，实现真正可持续长久发展。
Dear friends, as George Bernard Shaw put it, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” Living in an age of change, we are presented with progress and development. Countries around the world need to reject stereotypes and bias, be open to other civilizations and new knowledge, so that we may keep up with the change and truly realize sustainable and lasting development.
谢谢！
Thank you!