周立民总领事在第21届“汉语桥”世界大学生中文比赛新州赛区比赛上的致辞
Consul-General Zhou Limin’s Remarks at the 21st Chinese Bridge – Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students (NSW Preliminary)
2022年6月20日
20 June 2022
各位评委、各位选手，
Judges and Contestants,
老师们、同学们，
Teachers and students,
女士们、先生们、朋友们：
Ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends,
很高兴出席第21届“汉语桥”世界大学生中文比赛新南威尔士州赛区比赛。
It is my great pleasure to join you at the 21st Chinese Bridge – Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in New South Wales.
刚才，同学们的才艺展示和中文演讲十分精彩。我看得出大家都非常努力，也深切感受到你们对中文和中国文化的热爱。祝贺你们！
Just now, our young friends gave a wonderful performance in the talent show and the speech session. I could see how hard you’ve been working for this competition, and I truly felt your love for learning Chinese language and Chinese culture. Congratulations!
经过21年的发展，“汉语桥”中文比赛已经成为世界各国青年学生学习汉语、了解中国的重要平台，也成为国际人文交流的重要品牌活动。
In the past 21 years, the “Chinese Bridge” has become an important platform for young people from all over the world to learn Chinese and understand China. Now it is also a well-known brand event for international cultural exchanges.
“汉语桥”比赛的成长，离不开在座各位的热情支持和积极参与。在此，我谨向长期从事汉语教学、传播中华文化的老师们表示敬意，向所有关心和支持“汉语桥”比赛的新州各界人士表示感谢！
This could not have been possible without the support and participation of all of you present today. Let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the teachers, who have long been teaching Chinese language and promoting Chinese culture. My thanks also go to our New South Wales friends for your continuous support for the “Chinese Bridge” competition.
今天，我们通过“汉语桥”相聚云端，畅想“天下一家”愿景，寄托对美好未来的共同期盼，描绘构建人类命运共同体的美好愿景。
Today, we meet online for the “Chinese Bridge” Competition, dream of a beautiful vision of “One World, One Family”, and illustrate the potential for building a community with shared future for mankind.
我们共同探索中国价值。追求和平和谐，深深根植于中国人的精神世界。
Firstly, we explore Chinese values together. Peace and benevolence are traditional values that are deeply rooted in the heart of the Chinese people.
作为中国文化的重要载体，中文承载和传递着和合共生、命运与共的理念。这一理念体现在“世界大同，天下一家”的天下观上，也体现在“以和为贵，和而不同”的价值观、“天人合一，道法自然”的自然观之中。
As an important carrier of the Chinese culture, the Chinese language embodies and conveys the concepts of harmonious coexistence and shared future. The philosophy is reflected in the world view of “achieving universal peace” and “the world is one family”, the value of “paramount importance of peace” and “seeking harmony without uniformity”, and the nature concept of “unity of man and nature” and “follow nature’s course”.
习近平主席指出，“人类已经成为你中有我、我中有你的命运共同体，利益高度融合，彼此相互依存。”
As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, “Mankind has become a close-knit community of shared future. Countries have extensive converging interests and are mutually dependent.”
人类命运共同体理念蕴含了中国优秀传统文化的精髓，契合了当今世界各国人民求和平、谋发展的愿望。
The concept of “a community with a share future for mankind” contains the essence of China’s fine traditional culture and fits with the common aspiration of people around the world for peace and development.
我很高兴地看到，新州越来越多的人开始学习汉语。很多大中小学校开设中文课程，中文已经成为新州高考最受欢迎的语言课程之一。在座各位同学中，可能就有人把中文作为高考的选修课程。
I’m happy to see that more and more people in New South Wales are learning Chinese. Chinese courses are offered in schools from primary, secondary to tertiary levels. Chinese has become one of the most popular languages studied for the Higher School Certificate. Some of you may have taken Chinese courses when you sat the HSC.
中文是开启中国文化大门的“金钥匙”。我希望，同学们能够通过学习中文，不断增进对中国和中国文化的了解，领略和平和谐、开放包容理念的力量。
For Australian young people, the Chinese language is a “golden key” to understanding the wonderful Chinese culture. I hope that through learning Chinese, you will improve your understanding of China and Chinese culture, and appreciate the concepts of peace, harmony, openness and inclusiveness.
我们一起架设友谊桥梁。语言是人类沟通交流的工具，帮助我们理解差异性、扩大共同点，相互尊重、平等相待。
Secondly, we build a bridge of friendship together. Language is a tool for communication and exchanges. It helps us understand differences, expand common ground, and build the foundation for equality and mutual respect.
当今世界，文化隔阂的壁垒、封闭偏执的高墙依然存在，不同文明之间的交流互鉴空前重要。
The world today is still not free from cultural barriers and walls of bigotry. Exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations are more important than ever before.
在全球120多个国家，“汉语桥”比赛先后吸引了上百万名青少年参加。比赛为促进中国和世界各国不同背景的年轻人交流思想、增进了解和友谊提供了重要平台。
In more than 120 countries, the “Chinese Bridge” competition has attracted millions of young people to participate. It provides an important platform, for young people from different backgrounds in China and around the world, to exchange ideas, and enhance understanding and friendship.
中澳建交50年来，教育和文化交流一直是促进两国关系的重要力量和增进两国人民友谊的重要纽带。
Over the past 50 years since the establishment of China-Australia diplomatic relations, educational and cultural exchanges have played an important role in promoting bilateral relations and enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.
在澳大利亚各州区中，新州与中国之间建立起了最悠久、最紧密的人文联系。
Among Australian states and territories, NSW has established the longest and the closest people-to-people ties with China.
中国学生占新州吸引国际留学生总数的三分之一。2021年，在新州学习的中国留学生比任何其他一个州区都多。
Chinese students account for over one third of total international enrollments in New South Wales. In 2021, more Chinese students study in NSW than in any other states and territories.
新州民众对中文和中国文化的喜爱，中国留学生对新州的青睐，折射出中澳两国人民对彼此的友好情谊。
The Chinese language and culture are popular in New South Wales. And a large number of Chinese students have chosen New South Wales as their leading destination. All these reflect the close bond between the Chinese and Australian people.
我希望，中澳两国青年学生能够通过学习彼此的语言，跨越语言障碍，增进相互了解，争当两国人民之间的沟通桥梁和友好使者。
It is my hope that young students from China and Australia can learn each other’s languages, overcome language barriers, and strive to become bridges of communication and ambassadors of friendship between our two peoples.
我们携手共创美好未来。人类同处一个星球，命运相连、休戚与共。我们需要共同应对安全、发展、环境等全球性挑战。新冠肺炎疫情全球蔓延，进一步提醒人们“天下一家”的道理。
Thirdly, we join hands for a bright future. Mankind has the same planet to call home and the same future to embrace. We need to work together to address global challenges such as security, development, environment and etc. The global spread of COVID-19 reminds us once again of the theme of “One world, one family.”
面对各种困难和不确定性，我们必须携手迎接挑战，合作开创未来。
In times of difficulty and uncertainty, we must rise to challenges and build a bright future through cooperation.
国际合作需要跨语言、跨文化的沟通能力，呼唤具有全球视野、世界情怀的年轻一代。
Global cooperation requires cross-cultural knowledge and communication skills. It calls for a young generation with a global vision, and a global mindset.
截至2021年底，全球共有180多个国家和地区开展中文教育，70多个国家将中文纳入国民教育体系。中国以外正在学习中文的人数约2500万。
By the end of 2021, over 180 countries and regions have launched Chinese language education and 76 countries have included such programs into their national curriculum. The number of people learning Chinese overseas has exceeded 25 million.
中国约有4亿人学习英语，不少中国学生从小到大都接受英语教育。
About 400 million people in China study English, and many Chinese students are learning English starting in primary schools all the way through to high schools and beyond.
中国愿同各国一道努力，不断加强包括语言在内的人文交流合作，凝聚构建人类命运共同体、实现共同繁荣的强大力量。
China is ready to work with other countries to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation, including language learning, with a view to building a community with a shared future for mankind and achieving common prosperity.
我希望，同学们能够通过学习中文，深入思考涉及人类共同命运的重大问题，加强与中国及其他国家青年的平等对话，为建设人类更美好未来作出自己的贡献。
As you work on your language skills, I expect, you will think about the major issues that concern the shared future of mankind. I encourage you to continue learning Chinese, enhance equal dialogue with young people from China and other countries, and make your contribution to a brighter future for mankind.
女生们、先生们、朋友们，同学们：
Ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends and students,
2021年8月，习近平主席给“国际青年领袖对话”项目外籍青年代表回信时说，“我们欢迎更多国际青年来华交流，希望中外青年在互学互鉴中增进了解、收获友谊、共同成长，为推动构建人类命运共同体贡献青春力量。”
I’d like to quote from a letter that President Xi Jinping replied to the representatives of foreign participants at Global young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) in August 2021. “More overseas youths are welcome to China for exchanges, and I hope that young people at home and abroad will enhance mutual understanding, develop friendship and achieve mutual success, thus contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity”.
我希望，同学们能够努力学好中文，做促进中澳两国人民友谊的友好使者，做打造“天下一家”愿景的参与者，做构建人类命运共同体的贡献者。
I hope our young friends in New South Wales will further improve your Chinese proficiency, so that you could become envoys of friendship to promote China-Australia ties, jointly practice the vision of “One World, One Family” and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
谢谢大家！
Thank you!