郑泽光大使在48家集团俱乐部 “破冰者”2024年新春庆祝活动上的讲话

Remarks by Ambassador Zheng Zeguang at the 48 Group Club “Icebreakers” Chinese New Year Dinner 2024

斯蒂芬•佩里先生，

古沛勤爵士，

方文建先生，

小杰克•佩里先生，

女士们、先生们、朋友们：

Mr Stephen Perry,

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles,

Mr Fang Wenjian,

Mr Jack Perry,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

很高兴出席“破冰者”2024年新春晚宴，感谢48家集团俱乐部、英中贸协和英国中国商会的邀请。首先，我谨代表我夫人和中国驻英国使馆全体同事，向在座各位嘉宾致以节日的问候和新春的祝福。

It gives me great pleasure to attend the “Icebreakers” Chinese New Year Dinner 2024. Thank you to the 48 Group Club, CBBC and CCCUK for the kind invitation. On behalf of my wife and my colleagues at the Chinese Embassy, I would like to extend our best wishes for the New Year to you all.

下面，我非常荣幸地宣读中国国务院总理李强先生发来的贺电，全文如下：

 Now, I have the great honour to read out Premier Li Qiang’s congratulatory message to tonight’s celebration. The full text is as follows:

值此中国农历新年即将到来之际，我谨代表中国政府，向英国48家集团俱乐部的朋友以及中英两国各界友好人士致以诚挚问候和新春祝福。

On the occasion of the Chinese New Year, on behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to extend sincere greetings and best wishes to friends from the 48 Group Club and across all sectors in both China and the UK.

去年7月，习近平主席向中英贸易“破冰之旅”70周年活动致贺信，高度评价以杰克•佩里先生为代表的英国企业家，对开辟中英贸易交流通道、促进两国关系持续发展作出的重要贡献，充分肯定了富有远见、开放合作、敢为人先的破冰精神。长期以来，英国48家集团俱乐部积极推动中英经贸往来与人文交流，促进了互利共赢，深化了相互理解。英国老一辈友好人士作出的历史性贡献将被永远铭记。相信新一代“破冰者”将肩负起使命传承，推动中英友好事业不断向前发展。

Last July, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the "Icebreaking Mission" in China-UK trade. In the letter, President Xi spoke highly of the British pioneers represented by the late Mr Jack Perry, who made great contributions to opening up trade exchange channels between the two countries and the sustained development of bilateral ties, and gave full recognition to the “icebreaking” spirit featuring farsightedness, audacity and open cooperation.

Over the years, the 48 Group Club has worked proactively to advance economic and trade exchanges and people-to-people interactions, which has promoted mutual benefit and mutual understanding between the two sides. The historic contributions made by the elder generations of British friends will always be remembered. And I believe that the new generation of “icebreakers” will carry on their legacy and keep moving forward China-UK friendship.

过去数十年的实践充分证明，中英同为联合国安理会常任理事国和世界主要经济体，加强合作既符合双方的根本利益，也有利于世界的和平繁荣。当前世界经济复苏乏力，全球性挑战日益增多，中方愿同英方加强协调、深化合作，携手促进两国和世界的共同发展。希望中英各界有识之士传承弘扬破冰精神，继续积极有力行动，为增进两国人民友谊、促进中英友好合作、实现更高水平互利共赢作出新的贡献。

What has happened in the past decades fully proves that closer cooperation between China and the UK, two permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, not only serves the fundamental interests of both sides but also contributes to world peace and prosperity.

In today’s world where economic recovery is weak and global challenges are increasing, China stands ready to enhance coordination and deepen cooperation with the UK to jointly advance the common development of both countries and the world at large.

It is hoped that people with vision from all walks of life in both countries will carry forward the “icebreaking” spirit, continue to take active and vigorous actions, and make new contributions to the friendship between the Chinese and British people and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries at a higher level.

祝大家身体健康，龙年大吉！

I wish you all good health and all the best in the Year of the Dragon!

中华人民共和国国务院总理李强

Li Qiang

Premier of the State Council The People’s Republic of China

2024年2月5日于北京 

Beijing, 5 February 2024

女士们、先生们，

Ladies and gentlemen,

李强总理的贺电，充分体现了中国政府对发展中英关系的高度重视，充分肯定了一代又一代“破冰者”为中英友好事业作出的重要贡献，也向两国各界有识之士发出了推动中英关系稳定发展的动员令。

This message from Premier Li speaks volumes about the importance the Chinese government attaches to China-UK relations and expresses full recognition of the contributions made by generations of “icebreakers” to China-UK friendship.

It sends out a call for action to people across all sectors in both countries to promote the steady development of China-UK relations.

女士们、先生们，

Ladies and gentlemen,

过去一年，面对复杂严峻的外部环境，中国坚定推进中国式现代化，扎实推进高质量发展，取得新的伟大成就。全年经济增长5.2%，为全球经济增长贡献约三分之一。内生发展动力不断增强，内需对经济增长贡献率超过110%。民生得到有效保障，居民人均可支配收入实际增长6.1%。科技创新成果丰硕，高技术产业投资增长10.3%。绿色低碳转型成效显著，可再生能源总装机领跑全球、新增绿化面积占全球四分之一。

Over the past year, in the face of a complex and daunting external environment, China has stayed the course to pursue modernisation through the Chinese path, taken concrete actions to advance high-quality development, and made new achievements.

China’s economy scored a 5.2% growth and contributed around one third of global economic growth. With domestic demand accounting for more than 110% to growth, the internal drivers of China’s economy were stronger.

The per capita disposable income grew by 6.1%, so people’s livelihoods were better guaranteed. With investment in high-tech industries increasing by 10.3%, fruitful outcomes were achieved in technological innovation.

And China also made remarkable progress in green and low-carbon transition, leading the world in terms of total installed renewable energy capacity and contributing one fourth of the world’s increased area of afforestation.

中国坚定不移推进高水平对外开放。我们已全面取消制造业领域外资准入限制，最近又宣布取消对金融保险领域的外资股比限制。我们正在高质量实施《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》，主动对接《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》和《数字经济伙伴关系协定》经贸规则，扩大面向全球的高标准自贸区网络，同时持续打造市场化、法治化、国际化一流营商环境。

China has taken more measures to advance high-standard opening up. We have removed all restrictive measures on foreign investment in manufacturing early on. And most recently, we have lifted the caps on foreign equity holdings in banking and insurance institutions.

China is applying high standards to its implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), aligning itself with the economic and trade rules of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), and expanding a globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas.

And we continue to foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment.

展望未来，尽管仍会有逆风和挑战，但是，中国长期向好的总趋势不会改变。中国具有强有力的政治领导和保持稳定性连续性的大政方针，有超大规模的市场需求、配套完整的产业体系以及迅猛发展的科技创新，还有大量高素质劳动者和企业家的人才优势。中国发展具备强劲的韧性、潜力。

Looking ahead, there will still be a few mountains to climb, but  the positive trajectory of China’s long-term development remains unchanged.

This is because China has strong political leadership and consistent major policies, the demand of a supersize market, a fully-fledged industrial system, fast-growing technological innovation, and high-caliber workforce and entrepreneurs. These advantages give China enormous potentials and great resilience. 

女士们、先生们，

Ladies and gentlemen,

当前，世界日益动荡，百年变局加速演变。推动中英关系在正确轨道上稳定发展尤显重要。希望两国各界有识之士积极响应李强总理的号召，争做新时代的“破冰者”。

Our world today is undergoing increasing turbulence and accelerating transformation unseen in a century. Against such a backdrop, it is all the more important to make sure that the China-UK relationship develops on an even keel, along the right track. It is my hope that people with insight from both countries will actively respond to Premier Li’s call, and be “icebreakers” in the new era.

我们要做正确认知的传播者。一个坚定不移推进中国式现代化、大力推动构建人类命运共同体的中国，对世界各国都是机遇、对世界和平与发展都是正能量。中英关系不应该是对立或对抗关系。只有合作，才是符合两国人民利益的正确选择。

We need to mainstream the right perspective. A China that pursues modernisation through the Chinese path and strives for a community with a shared future for mankind means opportunities for all countries, and positive energy for world peace and development.

China-UK relations should not be defined by division or rivalry, still less confrontation. Rather, cooperation is definitely the right choice that serves the interests of both countries.

我们要做相互尊重的践行者。尊重彼此主权安全发展利益，是国与国关系顺利发展的前提。中国从不干涉任何国家的内政，也坚决反对任何国家干涉中国内政。中英双方应该在相互尊重基础上，通过对话管控分歧、扩大共识、增进互信。

We need to follow the spirit of mutual respect. Respecting each other’s sovereignty, security and development interests is the prerequisite for the smooth development of state-to-state relations. China never meddles in the internal affairs of other countries. And we firmly oppose interference in our internal affairs by any country.

China and the UK should use dialogue to narrow differences, expand common understandings and increase mutual trust on the basis of mutual respect.

我们要做合作共赢的促进者。中英已是重要贸易伙伴，在教育、文化等方面也有密切交流。但两国合作的潜力远未完全挖掘。两国应进一步拓展在金融、投资、新能源、生物医药、数字经济等领域的互利合作，扩大人文交流，还可以开展更多三方合作，实现优势互补、互利多赢。

We need to promote mutually beneficial cooperation. We are already important trading partners and maintain close educational and cultural exchanges. But the full potentials are yet to be tapped.

Both countries should further enhance cooperation in finance, investment, new energy, bio-medicine and digital economy, expand people-to-people exchanges, and explore collaboration in third markets to complement each other and achieve win-win results.

我们要做应对全球挑战的贡献者。作为联合国安理会常任理事国和世界主要经济体，中英无论是应对气候变化、保护生物多样性，还是推进人工智能全球治理、推动解决国际地区热点问题，都应该加强沟通与协作，为维护世界和平稳定与繁荣作出更大贡献。

We need to contribute to addressing global challenges. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, China and the UK should enhance communication and coordination on climate change, biodiversity, global AI governance, and regional and international hotspots, and make greater contributions to world peace, stability and prosperity.

让我们携起手来，弘扬破冰精神，不惧风险，砥砺前行，为深化两国人民相互了解与友谊、促进中英合作而不懈努力！

Let’s work together to carry forward the "icebreaking" spirit, stand up to challenges, and forge ahead to deepen mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between our two peoples.

龙年新春即将到来。祝大家如龙腾飞、阖家幸福、事业兴隆、新春大吉！

In the spirit of the Chinese New Year, I wish you and your families happiness, prosperity and all the best in the Year of the Dragon.

谢谢。

Thank you.