Distinguished Guests,Ladies and Gentlemen,Friends,
各位嘉宾，女士们、先生们、朋友们：
It is my great pleasure to come to this renowned historical and cultural city of Quanzhou to participate in the International Symposium on Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century, and I would like to take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations for this event on behalf of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and China Public Diplomacy Association.
很高兴来到历史文化名城泉州，参加21世纪海上丝绸之路国际研讨会。我谨代表中国外交部和中国公共外交协会，对会议的召开表示热烈祝贺。
I grew up in a small coastal village in Shandong province. The middle school I went to actually built its students dormitories on the beach. I remember seawater flooding under my bed during the high tide and when it fell away, the floor was covered with sea mud. There were also days when we would take a dip in the water, or play by the beach, or simply sit there and watch the tides. I think for those of us who have grown up near the coast, we all share an emotional bond with the sea and deeply admire its greatness. As our common home, the blue waters unite us altogether.
我从小生活在中国山东沿海的一个小村庄，上初中时，宿舍就建在海滩上，涨潮时，床底下都淌着海水，落潮时就是海泥。我们这些小孩在海里游泳，在海滩上拾海贝，坐在礁石上看潮起潮落。我相信，所有在海边长大的人都和我一样，对大海有着很强的崇敬感和亲近感。大海是我们共同的家园，是我们的精神纽带。
This symposium takes place at a great moment, because the Belt and Road initiative, and particularly the development of the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century, are very instrumental in promoting the development of the ocean economy and maritime cooperation among participating countries.
今天我们聚会于此，研讨“一带一路”特别是共建21世纪海上丝绸之路大计，对致力于发展海洋经济与推进海上合作的海上丝路沿线国家讲，是件大好事。
In less than a year and a half since the Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the Belt and Road initiative, China together with its partners are already delivering fruitful results. China has made substantive progress in policy planning and mechanism building. Through a series of domestic and international conferences, different local regions, the academia, business community, cultural sector, and overseas Chinese communities have all been mobilized to contribute to the initiative. People have expressed high appreciations for the Silk Road Spirit and the proposal of Economic Cooperation Corridor among major economies. Over 50 states and the EU, ASEAN, SCO, UN ESCAP and other international organizations have responded positively the initiative. China has signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreements with Kazakhstan and other states, achieving breakthroughs with partner countries on projects and programs ranging from transport infrastructure to industrial development, and to people-to-people exchange. In addition, the Silk Road Fund has been successfully launched, and 26 states have signed up as charter members to establish the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
习近平主席提出“一带一路”倡议以来，不到一年半时间已取得丰硕成果。中方的规划和机制建设取得实质进展，在国内外成功举办一系列会议，丝路精神和几大经济合作走廊的构想深受好评，各地方、企业界、侨界、新闻界和文化学术界积极参与。“一带一路”沿线50多个国家、欧盟、东盟、上合组织、联合国亚太经社理事会等多个国际组织表示积极态度。中国与哈萨克斯坦等5国签署了“一带一路”合作协议，与沿线国家在交通基建、产业和人文等领域的一批项目取得突破。亚洲基础设施投资银行已有26个意向创始成员国，丝路基金顺利启动。
In many ways, the Chinese government and people coming from multiple sectors have all played an active part in promoting these progresses. However, these achievements wouldn't have been possible without the support and participation of the governments and people of our partners. When President Xi Jinping worked here in Fujian Province in 1988, he proposed a campaign called “chorus on economic development”, borrowing wisdom from the Chinese proverb that says, “when many people help add the firewood, the flame would rise high”. Great things can happen when friends and partners combine efforts towards the same goal. The Belt and Road initiative is proposed by China, but it's not a “patent” exclusively owned by China. On the contrary, we see it as a symphony and team performance instead of a solo or one-man show. And I am very pleased to see that “One Belt, One Road” has grown to become the shared efforts and aspiration of all populace along its path.
这些成果的取得，既缘于中国政府和各界人士积极和有效的推动，更缘于沿线国家和人民的关心、认同和参与。习近平主席1988年在福建工作的时候就提倡要搞“经济大合唱”，因为“众人拾柴火焰高”。任何一项伟大的事业，都需要朋友、需要伙伴，需要大家心往一处想，劲往一处使。“一带一路”是中国的倡议但不是中国的专利，是交响乐而不是独奏曲，是团体操而不是独角戏。时至今日，“一带一路”正成为沿线各国人民的共同愿景和共同行动。
Recently, I have been asked by a number of friends from abroad about the relationship between the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century. They asked me why we put the two together and which one ranks higher in our priority: the Belt or the Road? In my view, since the ancient times, the Silk Road has always been developing both on the continent and at sea. In some sense, camels and sailing boats have epitomized the trade and cultural exchanges across the Eurasia continent and beyond into the vast oceans. The routes we have pioneered overland and across the seas complemented each other in coexistence. Today, the Belt and the Road are like the two wings of Asia. To fly high, we need both wings to be powerful. Therefore, we attach equal importance to the Belt and the Road so that the two would reinforce each other. Situated on the crossroads of the Asia Pacific and the European economies, it is essential that countries in the South and West Asia grow land and maritime cooperation in sync. We believe that all partners along the routes of the Belt and Road, whether coastal countries or landlocked ones, could make unique contributions to promoting connectivity and international trade, and as equal contributors to and beneficiaries of this initiative, we should all enjoy the rights to participate in the international maritime cooperation.
经常有外国朋友问我，“丝绸之路经济带”和“21世纪海上丝绸之路”是什么关系，为什么要将两者合在一起，“一带”和“一路”哪个更重要、更优先？我是这样理解的，丝绸之路自古就有陆海两大方向，骆驼和帆船都是亚欧大陆及附近海洋商贸和文化交往的象征，陆、海丝绸之路是互补并行的关系。今天的“一带一路”是亚洲腾飞的两只翅膀，既然要展翅高飞，就得两只翅膀同样用力，“一带”和“一路”相辅相成，同等重要。“一带一路”一头连接亚太经济圈，一头连接欧洲经济圈，南亚和西亚是“一带”和“一路”的交汇之地，因此陆上与海上合作必须兼顾。“一带一路”的沿线国家，不管是沿海国家还是内陆国家，都在加强互联互通和发展国际贸易，都有参与国际海洋合作的权利，都应该是“一带”和“一路”的平等建设者和共同受益者。
Compared with the Silk Road overland, the Maritime Silk Road shares similarities but also has its unique characters. It has its own set of advantages, potentials, as well as difficulties and challenges. Going forward, I believe the success of the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century would require effective efforts to coordinate our cooperation. To make that happen, we must equip ourselves with an open mind as broad as that of an ocean and muster courage strong enough to brave winds and waves.
海上丝绸之路较之陆上，有共性，也有特性；有优势和潜力，也有难度和挑战。要推进21世纪海上丝绸之路建设，我主张有海纳百川的胸襟，有乘风破浪的勇气，在对接合作上下功夫。
Why the open-mind? Like the vastness of the ocean comes from its accepting of thousands of rivers, to ensure constant progress under this initiative, China will continue, as we've always done, to earnestly heed the opinions and advice and fully consider the interests and concerns of all our partners. We will remain committed to open regionalism, and will refrain from closed blocs and arrangements targeted at the third party. We will seek to cooperate with other regional initiatives and mechanisms, and would welcome countries outside the region to actively participate in appropriate ways. In the future, the Belt and Road will foster large numbers of economic and people-to-people cooperation projects. We look forward to the valuable contribution from international organizations, multinational corporations, financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
海纳百川，就是中国已经并将继续虚心听取沿线国家和人民的意见和建议，充分考虑各方合理的利益和关切。就是坚持开放的区域主义，不搞封闭性集团，不针对第三方，与其他区域合作倡议和机制建立合作关系，欢迎域内外国家以适当方式积极参与。未来“一带一路”建设会涉及很多经济和人文合作项目，欢迎国际组织、跨国公司、金融机构和非政府组织各尽所能。