点亮智慧之灯，照亮前行之路 ——谢锋大使在纪念中美留学45周年 暨2024年中美青年新春联欢活动上的致辞

Illuminate the Lamp of Wisdom and Light the Way Forward Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Xie Feng at the Event Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of China-U.S. Student Exchanges and the Spring Festival Gala for Chinese and American Youths

尊敬的美国国务院中国协调办公室公共外交主管官员毕安，

美国教育部部长办公室国际事务专员萨凡纳•华莱士，

美国国际教育协会首席执行官古德曼，

美国国际教育者协会首席执行官方达•敖，

美国腹地中国协会主席霍顿，

美中教育基金会主席饶玫，

美国州立学院与大学协会副主席特里•布朗，

女士们、先生们、朋友们：

Mr. Erik Black,

Ms. Savannah Wallace,

Dr. Allan Goodman,

Dr. Fanta Aw,

Chairman Bob Holden,

President Madelyn Ross,

Vice President Terry Brown,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

晚上好！欢迎大家来使馆做客，共同纪念中美留学45周年，共同迎接中国新春佳节。

Good evening! Welcome to the Chinese Embassy to celebrate the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. student exchanges and the upcoming Chinese New Year.

45年前，中国首批52名公派留学生远渡重洋、飞抵美国。他们一下飞机就表示，我们不仅为学习美国的科学技术而来，也是为中美两国人民的友谊而来。今天，很荣幸邀请到当年“首航”美国的中国留学生、80年代初赴华留学的美国学生、最近留华归来的新生代代表，让我们用掌声向所有中美教育合作的见证者、参与者、贡献者致敬！

Fourty-five years ago, the first batch of 52 students sent by the Chinese government flew across the Pacific to the United States. Upon their arrival, they told journalists that “We came all the way to the United States, not only to learn advanced science and technology, but also to promote the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” Today, we are honored to be joined by representatives of those 52 Chinese students, Americans who studied in China in the early 1980s, and American students who have just come back from China. Let’s salute all those who have witnessed, participated in and contributed to China-U.S. educational cooperation with a warm round of applause!

45年来，中美教育合作风雨兼程、蓬勃发展，写下了一个个令人津津乐道的故事佳话，培育了一批批世界公认的学者大家，催生了一项项影响深远的研究成果，成就万千学子，惠及千家万户，造福中美双方。

Over the past 45 years, our educational cooperation has boomed rain or shine, leaving behind many beautiful stories, cultivating world-renowned scholars and leaders, and yielding research findings with far-reaching influence. Millions of students and families in both countries have benefited from it.

教育合作诠释了中美关系互利共赢的本质。卡特总统在回顾中美建交历程时曾提到，一天凌晨3点，他在睡梦中被来电吵醒，正在中国访问的白宫科学顾问说，邓小平问美方是否愿意接收5000名中国留学生，卡特回答“请转告他，可以派10万。”今天中国在美留学生近29万，占美留学生总数约1/3，连续15年位居美第一大留学生来源国，两国教育合作取得的巨大发展超乎所有人的想象，不仅为中国现代化建设培养了大量优秀人才，也促进了美国经济繁荣和科技发展，还为人类发展进步作出了宝贵贡献。

Educational cooperation epitomizes the win-win nature of China-U.S. relations. When looking back on the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, President Jimmy Carter recalled that he was sleeping one day when the phone rang about 3 o’clock in the morning. It was Dr. Frank Press, his national science advisor who was visiting China. Dr. Press said that Mr. Deng Xiaoping asked if the U.S. side would accept 5,000 Chinese students to American universities. President Carter replied, “Tell him to send a hundred thousand.”

Today, there are nearly 290,000 Chinese students in the United States, accounting for about one-third of the total number of international students in the country. China has been the largest source of international students in the United States for 15 consecutive years. No one could have ever imagined that our educational cooperation would come such a long way. It has not only supplied a wealth of talents to China’s modernization drive and boosted U.S. economy and scientific development, but also contributed to human progress as a whole.

教育合作展现了中华文明开放包容的胸怀。中华文明在兼收并蓄中历久弥新，教育合作是中国对外开放的重要体现。中国已成为全球留学人数最多的国家，约130万留学生在海外深造，中外合作办学机构和项目约1500个。知识没有国界。孔子说“有教无类”，教育家夸美纽斯说“把一切知识教给一切人”。海纳百川，方能奔流不息；聚天下英才，才是科技进步的基石。中国建成了世界上规模最大的教育体系，科技人力资源、研发人员总量居全球首位，中美完全可以交流借鉴、共同进步，携手揭秘自然，破解气候变化、粮食安全、人工智能等全球性难题。

Educational cooperation demonstrates the openness and inclusiveness of the Chinese civilization. The Chinese civilization has been constantly enriched by drawing on the strengths of other civilizations, and educational cooperation is exactly an important part of China’s opening-up. Currently, China has over 1.3 million students studying abroad, the largest number among all countries, and there are around 1,500 jointly-run schools and international programs.

Knowledge should have no boundaries. Confucius advocated providing education for all without discrimination. Educator John Amos Comenius proposed “teaching everyone everything completely”. The ocean is vast because it admits all rivers. Likewise, scientific progress can only be achieved when the brightest minds are brought together. China has the world’s largest education system, and ranks first in human resources in science and technology and the total number of researchers. Our two countries have every reason to learn from each other and progress together, jointly push the boundaries of human knowledge, and find solutions to global challenges such as climate change, food security and artificial intelligence.

教育合作架设了中美人民相知相亲的桥梁。有美国朋友跟我说，他8岁的孙女每天都花2小时学习中文；北大燕京学堂有一门必修课，叫“转型中的中国”，许多美国学生来华既读“有字之书”、也读“无字之书”，近距离观察认识真实的中国；温州肯恩大学、天津茱莉亚学院、清华大学苏世民书院等中美教育合作的名片越擦越亮。从互派留学生到合作办学，从学术交流到科研合作，中美构建起全方位、多层次、宽领域的教育交流合作格局，以“润物细无声”方式增进了两国人民的了解与友谊。

Educational cooperation has built bridges for mutual understanding and affinity between Chinese and American peoples. One of my American friends told me that his 8-year-old granddaughter spends two hours every day learning Chinese. At the Yenching Academy of Peking University, one of the compulsory courses is “China in Transformation”. American students in China not only learn about the country in the classroom, but also get to observe what it is truly like at a close distance. Signature programs of China-U.S. educational cooperation, such as the Wenzhou-Kean University, the Tianjin Juilliard School and the Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, have all flourished.

From sending students to each other’s country to jointly running schools, from academic exchanges to research collaboration, our two countries have established an all-dimensional, multi-tiered and all-sectoral educational cooperation framework, nurturing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

各位朋友，

Dear friends,

45年来，教育合作始终是中美人民双向奔赴的生动范例，是两国人文交流最有成效的领域之一，是中美关系稳定发展的基础性工程。近年来，虽然遭遇一些逆风逆流，但中美人民相互了解、彼此借鉴的愿望是阻挡不住的，支持中美教育合作的力量始终活跃在线。我们看到，美国多所知名学府批评对华裔科学家展开“猎巫”行动；40多个组织联合致函国会，反对重启“中国行动计划”；中美教育机构召开高等教育合作对话会，呼吁筑牢信心、共迎挑战。面向下一个45年，我们要初心如磐、迎难而上，推动中美教育合作爬坡过坎、再续新篇，答好新时期中美关系发展道路上的“三张问卷”。

Over the past 45 years, educational cooperation has always been a vivid example of our two peoples reaching out to each other, and one of the most productive areas of people-to-people exchanges. It has also laid a solid foundation for the stable development of the overall bilateral relationship. Although it has come under headwinds in recent years, the aspiration of both peoples for mutual understanding and learning remains unstoppable, and those supporting China-U.S. educational cooperation have never been absent. 

We are heartened to see that many leading universities in the United States have spoken out against witch hunt against scientists of Chinese origin, more than 40 organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Congress to oppose reinstating the so-called “China Initiative”, and educational institutions of both countries co-hosted the China-U.S. Higher Education Dialogue, calling for building confidence and jointly addressing challenges.

To usher in another 45 years, we need to stay true to our original commitment, take educational cooperation to new heights despite all the difficulties, and find the right answers to three questions critical to China-U.S. relations in the new era.

一要答好新时期中美正确相处的世纪之问。避免大国冲突对抗是国际社会的永恒课题，中美能否处理好彼此关系，攸关人类前途命运。习近平主席和拜登总统在旧金山成功会晤，推动了中美关系止跌企稳，开辟了面向未来的“旧金山愿景”，相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢应该成为中美共同努力的方向。希望教育合作继续做中美关系的先行者、探索者，超越冷战对抗的陈旧思维，跳出存量博弈的狭隘逻辑，汇聚东西方求同存异的智慧，开辟数字经济、绿色低碳等合作新领域新赛道，为两个大国走出一条新时期正确相处之道贡献智慧和力量。

First, the question of the century as to what is the right way for China and the United States to get along. Forestalling major-country conflict or confrontation is a constant endeavor of the international community. Whether China and the United States can properly handle their relations bears on the future of humanity.

The successful summit meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden in San Francisco has added stability to the China-U.S. relationship and fostered a future-oriented “San Francisco vision”. Mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation should be the direction both countries follow.

We hope that educational cooperation will continue to set the pace for China-U.S. relations, go beyond the Cold-war mentality and the obsession with fighting over the existing turf, and pool Eastern and Western wisdom together to seek common ground while reserving differences. We hope it will encourage the two countries to open up new arenas of cooperation such as digital economy and green and low-carbon growth, and help the two countries find the right way to get along in the new era.

二要答好清除教育交流关卡路障的人民之问。思想的活力来自互鉴，科学的发展离不开交流。美方“中国行动计划”的“寒蝉效应”还没有消除，近期佛罗里达州又立法禁止中国学生进入公立院校实验室工作。每月数十名留学生等中方赴美人员被拒绝入境，这些学生持合法有效签证，没有违法犯罪记录，出国旅游、回国探亲后赴美返校，入境时却被带进“小黑屋”接受长达8小时盘问，想联系父母却被拒绝，在没有确切证据的情况下就被贴标签，甚至被强制遣返、禁止入境，这是绝对无法接受的。中方已第一时间向美方表明强烈反对的严正立场，将继续坚决维护中国公民正当合法权益。留学是人生重要选择，需付出大量精力和宝贵资源。将教育交流合作政治化、工具化，不仅阻断留学生求学之路、改变他们的人生规划，也将导致美尖端人才流失，危害美自身的科研环境和创新活力。如果正常的人员往来被人为割断，两个大国的关系又怎么维护和发展呢？

Second, the question from our peoples as to how to clear obstacles to educational exchanges. The dynamism of thought springs from mutual learning, and scientific progress would be impossible without exchanges. But while the chilling effect of the “China Initiative” is still lingering on, the state of Florida recently rolled out a new law blocking Chinese researchers from labs of public universities.

Also, dozens of Chinese arriving in the United States, including students, were denied entry every month for the past few months. They held valid visas, had no criminal records, and were returning to school after travelling elsewhere or reuniting with their family in China. But when they landed at the airport, what awaited them was 8-hour-long interrogation by officers, who prohibited them from contacting their parents, made groundless accusations against them, and even forcibly repatriated them and banned their entry. This is absolutely unacceptable. The Chinese side immediately expressed its firm opposition to the U.S. side. We will continue to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.

Studying abroad is a big decision that costs much money and energy. Politicizing and manipulating educational cooperation will not only prevent the students from chasing their dreams and force them to change their life plans, but also drain the talent pool of the United States, poison its research environment and chill innovation. If normal people-to-people exchanges are cut off, how can the two major countries maintain and develop their relations?

三要答好续写中美青年友好故事的时代之问。青年代表未来，青年一代友好相处，中美关系就有希望。一所大学就是一座桥梁，每个学生都是一扇窗口，中美7000多所大学、6500多万学生，连点成线、织线成网，就能拉紧人文交流千丝万缕的纽带，汇聚人民友好的滚滚洪流。有美国朋友担心，目前美赴华留学的学生人数较少。我要告诉大家的是，中方从不追求留学生顺差,更反对中美教育脱钩，一直以实际行动促进人文交流。为落实习近平主席在旧金山宣布的“未来5年邀请5万名美国青少年赴华交流学习”倡议，中方将设立“美国青年使者来华专项奖学金”项目，通过校际交换、短期参访、暑期学校、冬令营等丰富多样形式，欢迎更多美青少年用自己的眼睛观察中国、用自己的脚步丈量中国，做中美友好的新一代使者。

Third, the question of the times as to how to renew the friendship between our youths. The youth are the future. When the younger generations get along well with each other, there will be hope for China-U.S. relations. In this regard, every university can be a bridge, and every student a window. When the over 7,000 universities and over 65 million students of our two countries pitch in together, they will forge an unbreakable bond of goodwill, and inject a powerful impetus into people-to-people exchanges.

Some American friends may be concerned about the relatively small number of American students in China. But China never seeks a “student surplus”. We are firmly against any decoupling in education, and are committed to increasing youth exchanges with concrete actions.

I am happy to share with you some good news: to implement the initiative announced by President Xi in San Francisco of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years, China will set up a YES program — the Young Envoys Scholarship, and encourage diverse forms of cooperation, such as exchange programs between schools, short visits, summer schools and winter camps. We welcome more young friends from the United States to see China with your own eyes, travel the expanse of the country with your own feet, and become the new generation of envoys of friendship between our two countries.

各位朋友，

Dear friends,

十年树木，百年树人。今天我们对教育交流合作的态度和作为，将对中美关系的未来产生深远影响。习近平主席强调，中美关系希望在人民，未来在青年。青年人最有热情闯劲，最富想象力创造力。希望两国青年把握机会、勇于探索、广交朋友，既在中美教育合作中提高自我、成就自我，也为中美关系接续发展注入正能量、贡献新动力。中国农历龙年新春将至，龙代表吉祥、活力和兴旺,祝愿各位朋友龙行龘龘、前程朤朤。让我们一起迈进生机盎然、充满希望的甲辰龙年，共同推动中美教育交流合作继往开来再出发！

As a Chinese saying goes, “It takes ten years to grow trees, and a hundred years to cultivate talents.” How we view and conduct educational exchanges and cooperation today will shape China-U.S. relations in a significant way. President Xi stressed that the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, and its future depends on the youth.

Young people like you are known for your enthusiasm, courage, imagination and creativity. Therefore, I would like to encourage you to seize opportunities, explore possibilities, and make as many friends as you can, so as to both fulfill yourselves through educational cooperation and give a strong boost to the sustained growth of China-U.S. relations.

The upcoming Chinese New Year will be the Year of the Dragon. Dragon is a symbol of auspiciousness, vitality and prosperity. May all of you soar with the spirit of dragon and embrace a brighter future. Let’s together usher in a Year of the Dragon brimming with vigor and hope, and write a new chapter in China-U.S. educational exchanges and cooperation!

谢谢大家。

Thank you very much.