刘晓明大使在英国汇丰集团春节午餐会上的讲话

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the HSBC Chinese New Year Luncheon

（2016年2月6日，伦敦四季饭店）、

Four Seasons, London, 6 February 2017

尊敬的汇丰集团主席范智廉先生，

女士们、先生们：

Chairman Douglas Flint,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

很高兴连续七年出席汇丰春节午餐会，与中英金融界的朋友们一起辞旧迎新。

去年是猴年，我曾给大家讲了“美猴王”的故事，介绍了猴年的美好寓意，包括志存高远（High-standing）、行动敏捷（Swift）、英勇无畏（Brave）和开拓创新（Creative）四个方面，合起来就是“HSBC”（汇丰银行），但我有意忽略了猴的一个“美中不足”，这就是顽劣不羁，难以掌控。众所周知，去年出现了很多料想不到的情况，带来了许多不确定性。

It is a real pleasure for me to attend this HSBC Chinese New Year Luncheon. This is the seventh consecutive year that I have accepted an invitation for this splendid gathering. I greatly value the friendship that deepens on every occasion. I always warmly welcome the opportunity to find myself among so many friends from the Chinese and British financial sector. And once again, we gather together to see off the old year and ring in the new.

Last year was the Year of the Monkey. I shared with you the story of the Monkey King. I summarised the Monkey King's spirit as being comparable to the character of HSBC - namely high-standing, swift, brave and creative.

However, when I spoke to you at this lunch last year, I left out one "defect" ascribed to the legendary Monkey King. The flaw is that he is also mischievous and uncontrollable.

Clearly that is not a way to describe HSBC! But, for sure mischievous and uncontrollable behaviour has featured prominently in the Year of the Monkey as there have been so many surprises and uncertainties.

中国古语说：“城门失火，殃及池鱼”。现在，我们把这称作“外溢效应”。令我欣慰的是，这种“外溢效应”对中英关系的影响是短暂的。我可以高兴地告诉大家，经过双方共同努力，中英关系克服了不确定因素，实现平稳过渡和持续发展。两国关系“黄金时代”的发展方向和定位继续延续，两国合作框架和机制有效保持。

And these uncertainties could have a wide-ranging impact. In China we have sayings that capture the spirit of our times. One of these goes like this:

"A fire on the city gate brings disaster to the fish in the moat".

Let me explain why it is so. The fish in the moat suffer because people fetch water from the moat to put out the fire.

Today, we call this a "spillover effect".

So, what about the "spillover effect" of the uncertainties on China-UK relations?

To my great relief, the "spillover effect" was short-lived.

And to my great delight, China and Britain overcame the uncertainties. Our bilateral ties steadied in time of transition and maintained the momentum of growth. China and the UK have stayed committed to building the "Golden Era" and kept our cooperation framework and mechanisms running effectively and smoothly.

特别是中英金融领域合作去年再谱新篇。从中国财政部在伦敦发行首支人民币主权债券，到中国银行在英发行首支绿色债券；从中英两国央行领衔G20绿色金融研究小组共同主席，到第八次中英经济与财金对话取得63项重要成果，包括发布《中英金融服务战略规划》；从中国邮政收购苏格兰皇家银行交易所交易基金业务，到中国工商银行旗下工银标准银行收购巴克莱伦敦贵金属仓库以及相关贵金属仓储业务。中英金融领域合作可以说是捷报连连，硕果累累。

What is most notable is the progress in our financial cooperation, where fruitful results were aplenty:

• China's Ministry of Finance issued the first RMB sovereign bond in London, the very first issuance outside China.

• The Bank of China issued in London its first green bond.

• The Central Banks of China and Britain co-chaired the G20 Green Finance Study Group.

• The eighth China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue produced 63 outcomes, including the China-UK Strategic Plan for Financial Services.

• China Post acquired the exchange traded fund range of Royal Bank of Scotland.

• The ICBC Standard Bank, under the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, acquired from Barclays a precious metals vault and related vaulting business.

And of course, there was the impressive role of HSBC.

在中英金融合作中，汇丰始终是推动者、参与者和贡献者。过去的一年，汇丰在中国内地延续着覆盖地域最广、网点最多的外资银行的地位，在57个主要城市开设178个服务网点，并成为首批在中国内地发行人民币债券的国际性商业银行。2016年，汇丰集团及其子公司共捐赠了4810万人民币（约700万美元），支持中国大陆教育、扶贫、环保、救灾和关爱老年人等20余个项目。汇丰银行中国有限公司连续四年被《亚洲金融》评为中国境内最佳外资商业银行，并于2016年荣获“最佳外资银行特殊白金奖”。在人民币国际化方面，汇丰始终站在最前沿，在全球超过50个国家和地区布局人民币服务能力，并连续五年获评《亚洲货币》“最佳离岸人民币产品和服务提供商”。我在此，向汇丰集团表示热烈祝贺。

HSBC has always been an active advocate, participant and contributor in the field of financial cooperation between China and Britain:

• By the end of last year, HSBC had set up 178 branches in 57 major cities in China, outnumbering all other foreign banks.

• HSBC was among the first international commercial banks to issue RMB-denominated bonds in China.

• Last year HSBC, and its subsidiaries, donated 48.1 million RMB, or equivalent to seven million US dollars, to more than 20 projects in China's mainland. The projects ranged from education, poverty reduction, elderly care to environmental protection and disaster relief.

• For four years running, HSBC has been awarded by FinanceAsia the accolade of being "Best Foreign Bank in China". In addition, HSBC won FinanceAsia Platinum Award 2016.

• And HSBC has also retained a leading position in the process of RMB internationalization. HSBC provides RMB-related business in over 50 countries and regions, and HSBC has been Asiamoney's "Best for Overall Offshore RMB Products/Services" for five consecutive years.

I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to HSBC for what you have accomplished.

告别过去，迎接未来。新的一年是农历鸡年，鸡在中国文化中象征着勤劳、守时，同时又象征着光明、吉祥。

At this moment of celebration, it is time to bid farewell to the past and welcome the future.

This year is the Year of the Rooster. The rooster in the Chinese culture stands for hard-working and punctuality. It also signals a bright future and good luck.

新年之初，面对世界经济低迷不振，逆全球化暗流涌动，国际形势复杂多变，习近平主席登上达沃斯和日内瓦的讲坛，引领世界经济和全球化正确方向，倡导共同构建人类命运共同体，阐述中国主张，提出中国方案，贡献中国智慧，再次展现了一个稳健、开放和自信的中国。这正应了新中国的缔造者毛泽东的一句名诗：“一唱雄鸡天下白”。

The Year of the Rooster began with sluggish growth of world economy, anti-globalization rhetoric and an increasingly complex international environment. However, we found encouraging messages about the way forward for the world economy and globalisation. In his speeches in Davos and Geneva, President Xi Jinping proposed and expounded on the building of a community of shared future for mankind. This symbolises how a stable, open-minded and confident China is putting forward propositions for the benefit of all the world. China is offering its solution and contributing its wisdom to tackle the global challenges.

This is just as Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic, once wrote in a poem,

"When the rooster crowed, all under heaven is bright."

新的一年，中英两国都有许多大事要办。

These words also reflect how, in this new year, there is much China and the UK can do together.

英国将启动脱欧程序，与欧盟开展脱欧谈判，同时要制定和实施“现代产业战略”，构建“分享社会”，打造“全球化英国”。

The UK is to trigger Article 50 and start Brexit negotiation with the EU. The UK is also working to set out and implement three themes:

• Its "modern industrial strategy".

• Building a "shared society".

• And creating a truly "Global Britain".

中国要召开中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会，主办“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛，举行金砖国家领导人第九次会晤，同时要深入实施“十三五”规划，深化供给侧结构性改革。

In China this year will witness some 'milestone' events:

• The Communist Party is to hold its 19th National Congress.

• China will host the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May.

• Then there will be the ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen.

• And China will continue to implement the 13th Five Year Plan and deepen the supply side reform.

中英两国大事要事很多，同时利益契合、合作机遇也很多。我期待在新的一年里，中英保持高层交往势头，发挥政治引领作用；扎实推进贸易、投资、金融、能源、基础设施、科技创新、教育、文化等各领域双边务实合作，打造更多旗舰新项目；积极抓住“一带一路”合作新机遇，创造合作新亮点；坚持多边主义，反对单边主义和保护主义；共同推进开放、包容、普惠、平衡、共赢的经济全球化，为构建人类命运共同体贡献力量。

Both our countries have big and important complementary agendas. Both our nations have as many shared interests as opportunities for cooperation:

• In the year ahead, we should maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges to provide strong political guidance for the bilateral relations.

• We should take concrete steps to advance cooperation in trade, investment, finance, energy, infrastructure, scientific innovation, education, culture, and many other important areas.

• We should work for more flagship projects in all fields.

• We should seize the opportunity of Belt and Road cooperation and create new cooperation highlights.

• We should stand for multilateralism and oppose unilateralism and protectionism.

• We should join hands to advance the globalisation process that is open, inclusive, balanced and benefit-sharing.

• And we should work together to contribute to the building of a community of shared future in the world.

我也希望，在新的一年里，汇丰集团继续以汇丰百年深厚积淀和新时期开拓创新精神，在推动中英经贸和金融合作中继续发挥领军作用。

It is also my hope that in the year ahead that HSBC will carry on your fine tradition of entrepreneurship as you have been since your founding in Hong Kong in 1865. With your proud record I can be very confident that you will continue to be a leader in the business and financial cooperation between China and the UK.

最后，祝大家鸡年吉祥，万事如意！

In conclusion, I wish everyone a happy and prosperous Year of the Rooster!

谢谢！

Thank you!