刘晓明大使在中英中学生交流会上的讲话

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Reception for Beijing Bayi School and British Schools

（中国驻英国大使馆，2017年2月13日）

Chinese Embassy, 13 February 2017

老师们、同学们：

Teachers and Students:

首先，热烈欢迎北京八一学校、泽西岛奥特利尔中学、伦敦弗朗西斯•霍兰女中师生们到中国驻英国大使馆做客。

A very warm welcome to the Chinese Embassy!

Today, we are gathered with teachers and students from three schools. From the UK there is Hautlieu School in Jersey and Francis Holland School in London. And, from China, teachers and students from Bayi School have travelled all the way from Beijing to be with us.

远道而来的北京八一学校是中国国家主席习近平的母校，他小学和初中都曾在八一学校学习。习主席曾动情地说：“母校给予我很多知识熏陶和精神滋养，我怀念那一段难忘的岁月。”习主席的话不仅表明八一学校是一所具有光荣传统和一流教学质量的学校，而且说明青年时学到的知识会使人终身受益。

Bayi School is Chinese President Xi Jinping's alma mater where he spent his primary and middle school years. President Xi says his years at Bayi School were, "intellectually rewarding and most unforgettable." This shows Bayi is a school of fine tradition and high quality. It also shows what one learnt in school years will have lifelong benefits.

正因为如此，我很高兴看到，泽西岛奥特利尔中学和伦敦弗朗西斯•霍兰女中与八一学校建立了友好学校关系，你们积极开展校际和青少年交流，既增长见识，开拓视野，又增加了解，建立友谊，取得了显著成效。

Therefore, I am truly delighted that Hautlieu School and Francis Holland School have twinned with Bayi. Over the past years I have learned how the schools and students have had close exchanges. Such exchanges have immense benefits for young people:

• It opens the mind.

• It broadens horizons.

• It deepens understanding.

• And it builds friendship.

Any such ties and interchanges for young people have profound benefits that will have a lasting influence through life.

特别需要指出的是，2015年10月，习近平主席在对英国事访问期间，亲自为北京八一学校和奥特利尔中学共同承办的全球第1000所孔子课堂——奥特利尔中学孔子课堂揭牌。我也很高兴地得知，三天前，这间孔子课堂正式启动运行。

Back in October 2015, while paying a State Visit to the UK, President Xi Jinping personally unveiled the plaque of the world's 1000th Confucius Classroom. This is the one co-hosted by Hautlieu and Bayi. I am more than happy to learn that, three days ago, this Confucius Classroom officially went into operation at Hautlieu School. I offer my heartiest congratulations!

今年是中英建立大使级外交关系45周年。45年前，我们很难想象，中英两国会如同今天这样，积极构建两国关系“黄金时代”，全方位开展经贸、人文和全球事务合作。45年前，我们也很难想象，中英两国会如同今天这样，16万中国学生和6000多英国年轻人在对方国家留学，双方还建立数百对校际联系，每年开展数万人次的青少年访问交流。

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the ambassadorial diplomatic relations between China and the UK. 45 years ago, no one could have imagined the closeness of ties and cooperation that China and the UK are enjoying today.

Today our two countries are strongly committed to building a "Golden Era" of bilateral ties. Both are working hard to advance our overall cooperation in business, in culture, in education and on global issues.

Today, over 160,000 Chinese students are studying in Britain and more than 6,000 British students are in China. Hundreds of Chinese and British schools are twinned with each other like you. Tens of thousands of young people are visiting each other's country every year.

中国古人说：“前人栽树，后人乘凉”。同学们，你们处在前人为你们缔造的幸运时代——中英合作的大门向你们敞开，“黄金时代就在你们的前面”。同时，你们今天又有责任和使命去为你们、为后人建设一个更美好的时代——一个开放包容的时代，一个交流合作的时代，一个互利共赢的时代。

This is the best of times for exchanges between China and the UK. That reminds me of an old Chinese idiom that captures the spirit of our relations:

"We are enjoying the shades from trees planted by our forefathers."

Thanks to the hard work of previous generations, young people like you are lucky to live in this day and age. Today, the door to China-UK cooperation is wide open. Today, you have a "Golden Era" before you.

At the same time, young people like you have a mission to build a better future for your generation and beyond:

• A future that embraces openness and inclusiveness.

• A future for exchanges and cooperation.

• And, a future of shared benefits.

正如习近平主席指出的，青年是国家的未来，是两国关系和两国人民友谊的未来。你们今天的交流，就是在为未来两国关系的大厦奠定基础。

As President Xi put it, the young people are the future of our nations and the future of our bilateral ties and friendship. What you are doing here today is more than meeting new people, making new friends and showing your talents. You are laying the foundation of China-UK relations in the future.

中英两国青少年应当如何把握时代的机遇，着眼两国关系的未来积极开展交往？我想结合你们三所学校的校训，谈三点建议：

I know that each of the three schools has a motto. They are inspiring words to me when I think of what to say to express my hopes for all of you young people.

一是平等相待。弗朗西斯•霍兰女中的校训是：“女孩子能够成为圣殿的光润基石”。这句话出自《圣经》，其要旨就是平等精神。中英青少年之间建立友谊、深化了解的基础同样是平等精神。只有树立平等精神，我们才会相互尊重，才会发现和欣赏对方的长处和强项，才会在相互学习和借鉴中共同提高。

First, I hope you will embrace the spirit of equality.

The motto of Francis Holland School says:

"That our daughters may be as the polished corners of the Temple."

This is a quote from the Bible, emphasizing the spirit of equality.

That spirit serves as the foundation for the friendship and mutual understanding between Chinese and British young people:

• Equality paves the way for mutual respect.

• Equality enables our young people to discover and appreciate each other's strengths.

• And, equality makes it possible for mutual learning and common progress.

二是志存高远。奥特利尔中学的校训是：“树立最高目标”。希望你们能通过交流，积极传播各自优秀文化，讲好“中国故事”，讲好“英国故事”，讲好“泽西岛故事”，促进中国梦和英国梦相通相融，立志今后做中英关系的奋进者、开拓者和奉献者，共同为构建人类命运共同体做出贡献。

Second, I hope you will "aim for the highest", exactly as this motto of Hautlieu School suggests. I encourage you all:

• To share with each other the best of China, the best of Britain and indeed, the best of Jersey.

• To build bonds together between the Chinese dream and the British dream.

• To dedicate yourselves to a better China-UK relationship.

• And to aim the highest for the objective of building a community of shared future for mankind!

三是开拓创新。北京八一学校的校训是：“继往开来，开拓无前”。创新是社会进步的灵魂。青年人最富有朝气，最富有创造力，理所当然地应该走在各自国家进步的前列，走在中英关系发展的前列。“青年与创新精神”就是今年中英两国人文交流的主题。希望你们不仅在学习上开拓创新，锐意进取，以青少年特有的热情和活力来扩大交流，增进友谊；而且在思想上开拓创新。中英社会制度、文化传统不同，你们更要通过交往打破偏见和窠臼，以积极的、客观的、公正的眼光看待对方国家的过去、今天和未来。

Third, I hope you students will always be daring and innovative. The motto of Bayi School is:

"To inherit the past, to explore the future."

To explore the future requires an innovative mind. Innovation lies at the very heart of social progress. And young people like you can be the drivers of innovation:

• Young people are full of vim, vigor and vitality.

• You have the most innovative minds.

• You should be leading the progress of our societies.

• And, in turn, you should be leading the development of China-UK relations.

Notably, this year's China-UK People to People Dialogue has taken the "Spirit of Youth" as its main theme. It will focus on youth and innovation.

I hope you will be inspired to be innovative not only in your studies, not only in how you forge stronger friendships between your three schools, but also in your mind. China and Britain differ in social system and cultural tradition. So, your exchanges provide a wonderful opportunity. You can gain new mindsets and learn how to take a positive, objective and fair view of the past, present and future of our respective countries.

莎士比亚说：“青春，我羡慕你！”你们今天来到中国驻英国大使馆，为我们增添了欢乐、喜庆和活力，一下子使我们使馆的外交官们感到年轻了许多。我们羡慕你们，也祝福你们。祝你们好好学习，不断进步！祝中英青年一代的友谊地久天长！

"Youth, I do adore thee."

Your visit to our Embassy has been an inspiration. Your youthful and vigorous presence at the Chinese Embassy today has made us diplomats feel years younger:

• We envy your energy and enthusiasm.

• We wish you great progress and success in your studies.

• We encourage you to make maximum advantages from the friendships made through this school exchanges.

• We wish the younger generation of China and Britain everlasting friendship.

• And, we wish you all the very best!

谢谢。

Thank you!