驻英国大使刘晓明在“英国未来计划——留学中国同学会”启动仪式上的讲话：共谋中英关系百年大计

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming At the Inauguration of Generation UK-China Network: 'Plan For One Hundred Years Of China-UK Relations'

（2016年2月26日，英国医药学协会）

BMA British Medical Association, 26 February 2016

尊敬的英国商务、创新与技能部常务次官马丁•多纳利先生，

尊敬的英国文化委员会首席执行官邓克然爵士，

尊敬的各位大学校长，

各位留学中国同学会会员，

女士们、先生们：

Secretary Donnelly,

Sir Ciaran Devane,

Vice-Chancellors,

Members of the China Network,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

今天，我们欢聚一堂，庆祝英国留学中国同学会的成立。首先，我谨代表中国驻英国大使馆向同学会及其全体留华学生表示热烈的祝贺！

It is a great pleasure to join you this afternoon at this important event co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy and the British Council.

We are gathered to celebrate the founding of the China Network. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the China Network and all those who have studied in China.

This is an inaugural event for the Generation UK-China Network. It represents a most valuable initiative to expand the people-to-people exchange that is growing rapidly between China and the UK.

记得，2014年11月，我出席了“中英留学交流四十周年论坛”。在那次论坛上，我们共同回顾了四十年来中英留学交流走过的不平凡之路，总结了四十年来取得的成就与经验。我认为，今天英国留学中国同学会的成立既是中英留学交流中水到渠成的崭新成果，也必将发挥其恰逢其时的积极作用。

I remember attending the Forum on Forty Years of China-UK Student Exchange in November 2014. Back then, we reviewed the China-UK student exchanges in the past 40 years. Together, we summarised the achievements and experience we have gained. Today, the founding of the China Network marks our latest progress. This is the natural outcome of decades of student exchanges between China and the UK. There could not be a better time to form such an organisation.

I firmly believe that the China Network has a most active and key role to play as China and the UK embark on a ‘Golden Era’ of relations. Let me share with you my thoughts about the importance of the launch of the China Network.

首先，同学会的成立适应和体现了当前中英留学规模持续增长、交流样式日益多元的局面。过去四十年，共有45万多中国学生到英国留学，大约有3万5千英国学生赴华学习。目前，约15万中国留学生在英学习，英国成为世界第二、欧洲第一中国留学生目的地国。而中国成为继美国、英国之后世界第三大留学生输入国，超过377000名国际留学生在华学习。其中，7800多名英国学生通过“英国未来计划”、“中国政府奖学金”、“孔子学院奖学金”及各地方政府奖学金、校际交流、校企合作等途径赴华学习或实习。

First, it reflects the trend of ever-growing and increasingly diversified student exchanges between China and the UK:

• In the past 40 years, more than 450,000 Chinese students studied in the UK.

• Over the same period about 35,000 British students have studied in China.

• At present, there are around 150,000 Chinese students in this country. As a destination for Chinese students, the UK is No.2 in the world and No.1 in Europe.

• China is also a major destination for foreign students, ranking third after the US and the UK.

• Now more than 377,000 students from around the world study in China.

• Of them, 7,800 are from the UK.

These British students came to China for study or internship through a series of channels that include:

• The Generation UK.

• The Chinese Government Scholarship scheme.

• The Confucius Institute Scholarship programme.

• Local government scholarships.

• School-to-school exchanges.

• And university-business partnerships.

特别值得注意的是，在留学形式上，双方在保持传统的学历教育外，积极开拓教育交流新模式，内容丰富的“定制式”短期留学成为了英国学生赴华学习的新趋势。两国政府继续通过国家级奖学金发挥关键作用，中英企业、高校等也纷纷参与和支持双边学生的留学、实习项目。2015年3月萨塞克斯大学宣布投入75万英镑，将为300名英国学生提供到中国工作和实习的机会；华为英国公司自2011年设立“未来种子”计划以来，目前已累计将英国高校的百余名学生送往中国，学习语言文化，了解中国企业发展。

Notably, many new forms of student exchanges have been adopted. In addition to the traditional degree programmes, the tailor-made short-term study programmes have become a prevailing trend among the British students going to China.

Of course, the Governments of our two countries continue to play key roles through national scholarships. At the same time, Chinese and British enterprises, universities and colleges are getting more and more involved and starting to support student exchange and internship.

In March 2015, the University of Sussex announced a £750,000 China Internship Scheme. This aimed at financing 300 British students for work and internship in China. The Huawei UK launched the ‘Seeds for the Future Programme’ in 2011. More than a hundred British university students have benefitted from this programme by attending Chinese language and culture courses, and learning about doing business in China.

第二，同学会的成立将有力促进中英两国政府鼓励双向留学政策的实施。去年9月，刘延东副总理与英国卫生大臣亨特在伦敦共同主持中英高级别人文交流机制第三次会议期间，中英签署了《中英教育伙伴关系框架》，促进中英教育领域各方面的合作。作为该框架的一部分，双方的旗舰项目“留学中国计划”及“英国未来计划”（Generation UK）成为英国学生赴华的重要平台。其中“英国未来计划”作为英国高等教育国际发展战略的重要组成部分，将在2020年前累计输送超过80,000名英国年轻人赴华交流或参与实习。

Let me turn to my second thought about the importance of the China Network. I believe it has a vital role to help facilitate the implementation of Chinese and British government policies with regard to student exchange. Last September, Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt co-chaired the Third Meeting of the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Exchange. During the meeting, the Framework for Strengthening China-UK Partnership in Education was signed to enhance our cooperation in this field. Under this framework, our respective flagship projects, the Study-in-China Scholarship and the Generation UK, are now major platforms for British students planning to study in China. The Generation UK is an important part of the UK’s international strategy in higher education. Through this programme more than 80,000 young British will have studied or worked as interns in China by 2020.

去年10月，习近平主席对英国进行了成功的“超级国事访问”，在访问联合声明中，中英双方承诺促进文化教育联系，支持两国人员特别是青年往来，并将进一步为双边留学人员的往来提供便利。我相信，英国留学中国同学会的成员规模会如同滚雪球般越来越大，同时你们也将带动更多英国年轻学生以你们为榜样，争相赴华学习交流。

Last October, President Xi Jinping paid a ‘Super State Visit’ to the UK. In the Joint Statement issued during the visit, both China and the UK are committed to stronger cultural and educational connections. This means more people-to-people exchanges especially for young people, and greater facilitation for students. I expect the China Network to grow in scale. In turn, I am sure that more and more young British students will follow your footprints and take advantage of the opportunities to study in China.

第三，同学会的成立必将为构建中英关系的“黄金时代”发挥积极作用。当前，中国即将开启“十三五规划”征程，中英正在积极构建两国关系的“黄金时代”,我们正处在一个充满巨大机遇和美好前景的时代。中英双方将在政治、经贸、金融、人文和全球等方面开展“五位一体”的全方位合作，将围绕中方的“一带一路”、“长江经济带”、“中国制造2025”与英方基础设施升级投资计划、英格兰“北方经济中心”、“英国工业2050战略”等开展战略规划对接。双方将加大推进在新兴产业，特别是在新能源、智慧城市、生物制药、科技创新、电子商务等领域合作力度。这也为未来中英教育交流与合作构筑了广阔空间。今天，我们成立这个同学会，就是要汇聚中英两国青年学子的智慧和力量，同心协力为中英关系的“黄金时代”增光添彩！

Let me give you my third point about the China Network. It will have an active role to play in building the ‘Golden Era’ of China-UK relations.

China will soon begin a new journey, with the adoption of the 13th Five Year Plan for economic and social development in the coming five years. China and the UK are also beginning a new journey, with the building of a ‘Golden Era’ in our bilateral ties. We have before us a promising future and huge opportunities. Much can be achieved when China and the UK work together.

• We can engage each other in all-round cooperation in the political field, in business and finance, in cultural exchanges and on global issues.

• We can dovetail our respective development strategies. For China this includes China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze River Economic Belt and Made in China 2025. For Britain there is the National Infrastructure Plan, the Northern Powerhouse and the UK Industry 2050.

• We can step up our cooperation in emerging industries, especially in new energy, smart city, bio-pharmacy, innovation and e-commerce.

All these areas will open up wider space for our educational exchanges and cooperation. With the China Network set up today, I hope that young Chinese and British students will pool their wisdom and strength, and work together to create a more splendid ‘Golden Era’ of China-UK relations.

最后，为祝贺英国留学中国同学会的成立，也为进一步鼓励英国学生赴华留学，我为你们准备了一份特殊的礼物。这就是：从2016年起，除现有的长期“中国政府奖学金”、“孔子学院奖学金”外，中方首次在英设立中国政府短期奖学金项目。2016-2017学年短期奖学金名额为150个，重点支持英方高校学生赴华参加为期2个月的留学、实习活动，同时鼓励中英高校间开展灵活多样的校际学生交流项目。我相信这必将进一步促进中英教育合作，增进两国青年学生的交流与友谊。

I want to congratulate you once again on the founding of the China Network. I also hope to encourage more British students to study in China.

To follow up my congratulations and encouragement, I have brought you a special gift today. This is the Short-term Chinese Government Scholarship Scheme. The scheme is the first of its kind for UK students. It will run in parallel to the long-term Chinese Government Scholarship and the Confucius Institute Scholarship. In the academic year 2016-2017, this short-term scheme will fund 150 British university students for two-month study or internship in China. Meanwhile, Chinese and British universities are encouraged to take advantage of this scheme through flexible and diverse forms of exchange programs. I am sure such an initiative will definitely boost China-UK educational cooperation and help increase the communication and friendship between the young people of our two countries.

今年春节大年初一，卡梅伦首相在唐宁街10号首相府举行的新春招待会上，引用中国成语。他说，“一年树谷，十年树木，百年树人”，并进而提出，“千年之计，莫如民心相通”，以此强调中英应发展长久持续的千年友好关系。

On the very first day of this Year of the Monkey, Prime Minister Cameron hosted a Chinese New Year reception at No. 10 Downing Street. In his remarks, the Prime Minister quoted a Chinese idiom and carried it further to develop his own version. He said:

“If you want one year of prosperity, you grow grain.

If you want ten years of prosperity, you grow trees.

If you want one hundred years of prosperity, you grow people.

If you want a thousand years of prosperity, you grow relationships between peoples”.

He said this to highlight the importance of China and the UK working together for one thousand years of lasting friendship.

我们今天做的事情，就是中英关系的百年大计、千年大计。让我们携起手来，共同为中英关系的百年和千年大计添砖加瓦！

This is actually what we are doing today. We are planning for a hundred years - even a thousand years of China-UK relations!

So, let us join hands together to build this great China-UK edifice by growing people and by growing the relationships between our two peoples.

谢谢。

Thank you.