2010年6月25日
曼彻斯特城市大学

Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Opening of the Photo Exhibition of The Shanghai World Expo in Manchester

尊敬的曼彻斯特市长哈克特先生,　　
尊敬的大曼彻斯特地区女王代表史密斯爵士，　　
尊敬的曼彻斯特城市大学校长布鲁克斯先生，　　
尊敬的倪坚总领事，　　
女士们，先生们：

Councillor Mark Hackett, Lord Mayor of Manchester,
Sir Warren Smith, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester
Professor John Brooks, Vice Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University,
Consul-General Ni Jian,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

欢迎大家出席上海世博会图片英国巡回展“世博风”曼彻斯特站开幕活动。

Thank you very much for joining us for the opening of "EXPO NOW", the photo exhibition of the Shanghai World Expo, in Manchester.

到今天，上海世博会已经开幕近2个月。截至昨日，观众超过1827万人，平均每天接待游客33万。像英国馆这样的热门场馆，尽管需要排数小时的长队，观众仍然乐此不疲。由于最近世界杯正在举行，各国展馆相应增加了足球元素，我听说由于英国参展方将曼联当家球星鲁尼的蜡像放在了英国馆前，几乎所有是球迷的观众都往英国馆拥。

Since its opening 2 months ago, the Expo has proved to be a major attraction for Chinese and overseas visitors, receiving 18 million visitors in total, or 330 thousand per day on average. Enthusiastic visitors often have to queue for hours to get into the UK National Pavilion and other popular venues. Not surprisingly, football has become a new highlight in many venues. Someone came up with the smart idea of installing a wax figure of Wayne Rooney in the entrance of the UK Pavilion, which as you can imagine has made your pavilion even more popular.

为什么中国高度重视、全力以赴举办上海世博会？为什么世界各国积极参与上海世博会？为什么近2000万观众冒着酷暑、排着长队争相目睹上海世博会？我认为：

One cannot help but wonder why the Shanghai Expo has attracted so many participating countries and visitors around the world, who defy the scorching sun and endless queues to visit the Expo site. My answer to this question is three-fold:

第一，上海世博会是了解人类未来的机会。生活在二十一世纪，我们享受着人类文明发展的成果，同时也必须思考人类发展的未来，思考如何应对各种复杂艰巨的全球性挑战，思考人与自然如何和谐发展。上海世博会围绕“城市，让生活更美好”这一主题，为人类今后的生存提供了许多全新的理念、成功的案例和发展的模式。

Firstly, the Shanghai World Expo provides an occasion to reflect on our way of life and the future of mankind. We live in a time of unbelievable wealth and prosperity, but we are also faced with unprecedented global challenges, not least the challenge of how to live in harmony with nature. Focusing on "Better City, Better Life" as its main theme, the Shanghai World Expo seeks to explore new ideas and new development models for a more sustainable way of life.

第二，上海世博会是了解世界的机会。246个参展国家和国际组织将上海世博会作为一个公关的平台、展现的舞台和竞争的赛场，争相打造“最好中的最好”（the best of the best）。可以说，上海世博会集世界精华，汇全球智慧，真正体现了全球文化的多样性、世界科技的创新性和人类思想的活跃性。

Secondly, the Shanghai World Expo is a great opportunity to better understand the world around us. It is a collective stage on which 246 countries and international organizations compete to showcase "the best of the best", best technology, best ideas and best practices all coming together in a major celebration of cultural diversity, innovation and the power of thought in our world.

第三，上海世博会是了解中国的机会。上海世博会是中国继北京奥运会之后的又一次对外全面展示，展示中国人民的热情和好客，展示中国的古老和现代，展示中国的改革和开放。

Thirdly, the Shanghai World Expo helps people to know more about China. Just like the Beijing Olympics, the Shanghai Expo will be another opportunity to promote understanding between China and the world. Visitors to the Expo will see a both ancient and modern China embracing reform and openness. And people in China in turn will know more about their neighbors in the global village.

当我们提到世博会，不能不提及英国。不仅仅因为英国是世博会发源地，更因为英国在上海世博会的出色表现。“蒲公英”生动展现了现代英国的形象。英国各界也积极抓住上海世博会的机遇，推动加强双边经贸、科技和文化等各领域合作。

The UK is the birthplace of the modern Expo and a star performer at the Shanghai Expo. The UK pavilion, nicknamed as Dandelion by Chinese internet users, symbolizes the modern creative vigor of Britain. The UK has also made full use of the Expo by organizing events and visits to promote cooperation in business, science, technology and culture between our two countries.

为了让英国民众更好地了解上海世博会，更直观地感受上海世博会，中国驻英国大使馆主办了此次世博会图片英国巡回展——“世博风”。展出的近100张图片，展示了许多颇具特色的场馆，反映了中国参与世博会的百年历程，记录了各国人民欢庆世博的难忘瞬间，体现了新旧上海的发展变化。

In hosting this photo exhibition, we would like to share with the British public the joy the Expo brings and also encourage the British public to learn more about Shanghai and China. The 100 photos on display here capture some of the memorable moments of the Expo and offer breath-taking views of the different pavilions. It also traces China's participation in the World Expo over the past century and shows a real Shanghai, both past and present.

“世博风”6月11日在伦敦亚洲之家拉开序幕，今天来到曼彻斯特，这是第二站。作为工业革命的中心地之一，曼彻斯特素有“北方首都”之称,崇尚“智慧和努力”（Concilio Et Labore），并将之作为城市的格言。我听说，英国馆的设计师THOMAS HEATHERWICK先生就是毕业于曼彻斯特城市大学。近年来，曼彻斯特积极开展对华合作，包括与武汉加强友城交往，曼彻斯特大学与中国二十多所高校开展校际交流，曼彻斯特科学工业博物馆与中国科技馆建立了合作关系。地方合作是中英关系的重要内容，中国驻英大使馆、驻曼彻斯特总领馆愿与大家共同努力，抓住当前中英关系发展势头良好的有利时机，进一步促进曼彻斯特与中国的务实交流与合作。

As a centre of the industrial revolution, Manchester is known as the Capital of the North and takes "Concilio Et Labore" or "wisdom and effort" as its motto. It has developed vibrant links with Chinese cities in recent years. We do hope that such mutually beneficial links will grow stronger as an important part of a growing China-UK partnership. The Chinese Embassy in the UK and our Consulate-General in Manchester will support you wherever we can.

我愿借此机会，感谢英国奥雅纳集团（ARUP）和上海联谊会的大力协助，感谢中国银行（英国）公司和中国交通银行为巡回展提供赞助，同时感谢倪坚总领事及总领馆人员的辛勤筹办，也非常感谢曼彻斯特城市大学为巡回展提供了场地和各项周到服务。

I also wish to take this opportunity to thank ARUP and the Shanghai Friendship Association UK for their strong support and to Bank of China (UK) and Communications Bank of China for sponsoring this event. My thanks also go to my colleague Consul-General Ni Jian and his staff for their hard work and to Manchester Metropolitan University for providing a wonderful venue and thoughtful services for the exhibition.

最后，我预祝上海世博会图片英国巡回展在曼彻斯特举办圆满成功！

Finally, I wish Expo Now in Manchester a great success.

谢谢。

Thank you.