Keynote Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Icebreakers Chinese New Year Dinner
17 February 2011, The Dorchester, London

尊敬的能源和气候变化大臣克里斯·休恩先生，
尊敬的前外交大臣道格拉斯·赫德勋爵，
尊敬的前外交大臣戴维·米利班德先生，
尊敬的美国驻英国大使路易斯·萨斯曼先生，
尊敬的48家集团俱乐部主席斯蒂芬·佩里先生，
各位来宾，
女士们、先生们：
The Rt Hon Chris Huhne,
The Rt Hon Lord Hurd,
The Rt Hon David Miliband,
Ambassador Louis Susman,
Mr Stephen Perry,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

我 很高兴出席今晚48家集团俱乐部举办的如此盛大的春节晚宴，与大家共度中国元宵佳节。
It is my great pleasure to join you at this gracious dinner hosted by the 48 Group Club to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival.

从中国民俗来说，元宵节是中国新春佳节的收尾。这是我参加的十多场春节庆祝活动的最后一场。辞旧迎新之际，我想再说些总结性的话。
According to Chinese tradition, the Lantern Festival is the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration. Tonight's dinner will be the last one of more than a dozen New Year celebrations I have attended in the past two weeks. As we ring out the Year of the Tiger and ring in the Year of the Rabbit, let me share with you my thoughts about 2010 and hopes for 2011.

2010年是难忘的，中国领导人用“极不平凡”来形容。我个人理解，因为我们经历了大事、难事和喜事。一说大事，我们有效应对国际金融危机的冲击，保持了经济平稳较快发展，经济结构调整迈出重要步伐，经济总量升至世界第二；二说难事，我们积极探索发展民生之道，大力发展社会事业；同时，我们也经受了玉树地震、舟曲泥石流等重大自然灾害的考验；三说喜事，我们成功举办上海世博会和广州亚运会，进一步展现了自信、开放、包容的现代中国形象。
2010 was a memorable year, or "exceptional" as the Chinese leaders put it. As I saw it, 2010 was about momentous successes, tough challenges and joyous moments. For China, the biggest success was that we not only weathered the impact of the international financial crisis, but continued steady and fast economic growth. We took major steps to restructure our economy and have now become the second largest in the world. We made active efforts to improve people's living standards and social services. We withstood the tests of the Yushu earthquake in Qinghai Province and the mudslide in Zhouqu, Gansu Province. Our joy came from the success of the Shanghai World Expo and the Guangzhou Asian Games. Both events have presented a confident, open, inclusive and modern China to the world.

今天是元宵节，对我来说，也是一个值得纪念的日子。就在上个元宵节，我来到伦敦赴任履新。一年来，感想和体会很多，最感欣慰的是，在各位英国朋友的大力支持和共同努力下，中英关系保持了稳定和健康发展。
The Lantern Festival is also a special day for me, because I arrived in London as the new Chinese Ambassador on the Lantern Festival last year. This has been quite a year for me. I am truly glad and grateful that China-UK relations are in such a good shape today. This wouldn't have been possible without your support and the support of other friends in the UK.

中英政治关系更加紧密。卡梅伦首相率领包括休恩大臣在内的超强阵容代表团成功访华。两国领导人在G20峰会期间举行良好沟通和合作。外交大臣黑格、财政大臣奥斯本也分别访华。我们也不能忘记在座的米利班德先生去年同戴秉国国务委员启动了首次中英高级别战略对话。不久前，中国国务院副总理李克强成功访英，进一步推动了两国关系发展的良好势头。
We have seen closer political ties. These included Prime Minister Cameron's successful visit to China with a senior delegation, including Mr Huhne. Our leaders worked closely together at the G20 summits. Foreign Secretary William Hague and Chancellor George Osborne both visited China. Let us also not forget that it was Mr David Miliband who launched the upgraded Strategic Dialogue with State Councillor Dai Bingguo. The recent visit by Vice Premier Li Keqiang to Britain was another success, keeping up the good momentum for the growth of our relations.

中英各领域合作“百花齐放”。中英双边贸易额实现新的突破。去年，双边货物贸易额首次超过500亿美元，双方还确立了今后五年双边贸易额达到1000亿美元的新目标。英国在上海世博会上的出色表现，令中国民众对英国的印象焕然一新。我在英国也强烈感受到不断升温的“汉语热”，从大学生到小学生，学习汉语的人数越来越多。当然，与中国有近4亿人在学习英语相比，增长潜力还很大。中英文化领域的交流也是如火如荼，就在10天前，50万英国民众参加了特拉法加广场中国春节活动。我也很高兴地见证中英签署大熊猫科研合作协议，两只可爱的大熊猫不久将落户爱丁堡动物园。
We have seen fruitful cooperation across the board. Our trade in goods hit a record of over 50 billion US dollars in 2010, and a goal was set to double this figure in the next 5 years. Britain's spectacular performance at the Shanghai World Expo has enabled the Chinese public to see and experience what Britain is like today. I am also pleased to find that there is an emerging "mandarin fever" here. More and more people started to learn mandarin, whether as college students, primary school children or adults wanting to learn for business or just pleasure. Of course there is a huge potential to tap, if you look at the number of Chinese learning English – 400 million. Cultural exchanges have been robust. Just 10 days ago, half a million people enthusiastically attended the Trafalgar Square Chinese New Year Celebrations. I also had the pleasure of witnessing the signing of an agreement on joint research, which will soon bring two lovely giant pandas to Edinburgh Zoo.

告别成绩斐然的虎年，我们迎来充满希望的兔年。在中国，“兔”在十二生肖中也被称为“卯”。“卯”字描绘了草木萌芽出土的形象，代表着春意和黎明，代表着万物复苏和无限生机。在西方，兔子也象征着春天和再生。兔年寓示着吉祥好兆，我们应该抓住机遇，开拓创新，在新的一年，努力实现中英关系三个“超越”：
We waved goodbye to a fruitful Year of the Tiger and entered the hopeful Year of the Rabbit. In the 12 Chinese animal signs, Rabbit goes with one of the 12 earthly branches – "mao", which represents newly sprung buds, and is therefore a symbol of spring, dawn, recovery and dynamism. I know the rabbit also symbolises spring and renewal in Western culture. So let us make full use of this auspicious year to take China-UK relations forward with a pioneering and innovative spirit:

第一，超越差异分歧，增进政治互信。中英两国历史文化、社会制度、价值观念不同，但中英关系几十年发展的历史进程告诉我们两国完全可以做到和平、和谐共处。双方应从两国关系大局出发，相互尊重、平等相待，增进了解、加强信任。上个月，胡锦涛主席访美时，中美一致同意要建设相互尊重、互利共赢的合作伙伴关系，我认为这一共识同样适用于发展中英关系。
Let us rise above differences and increase political mutual trust. Despite the differences in our historical and cultural heritage, social system and values, China and Britain have shown that we can live with each other in peace and harmony. We have learnt to respect each other as equals and increase mutual understanding and trust. During his visit to the United States last month, President Hu Jintao and President Obama pledged to build a China-US partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. I believe this also applies to China-UK relations.

第二，超越买卖关系，促进共同增长。中英经贸合作不应停留于传统货物贸易领域，停留在简单的互通有无式的“易货贸易”，而应在经济发展理念上相互借鉴学习，在技术创新上加强交流合作，在发展新兴产业上实现资本、技术和市场的良好结合，在相互投资上创造更加便利条件。卡梅伦首相和黑格外交大臣提出中英建立“共同促进经济增长的伙伴关系”，中方也期待着中英通过加强经贸全方位合作，促进两国经济增长和调整转型。
Let us go beyond a mere business relationship of buying and selling and work together for common growth. In addition to traditional trade in goods, China-UK business cooperation should extend to draw upon each other's ideas of economic development and closer exchanges on technological innovation. We should encourage a synergy of capital, technology and market between the two countries and facilitate mutual investment in emerging industries. Just as Prime Minister Cameron and Foreign Secretary Hague proposed a China-UK "partnership for growth", we in China look forward to a comprehensive partnership with the UK in trade and investment, which will serve economic growth and restructuring of both countries.

第三，超越双边范畴，发挥全球影响。从近年应对国际金融危机、解决国际热点问题、促进二十国集团发展、应对气候变化等进程中可以得出一个结论：中英加强合作至关重要。中英都是在国际上举足轻重的大国，双方共同利益越来越多，合作需要越来越强。我们愿与英方进一步加强在全球事务中的协调与合作，共同加强“积极力量”（forces for good），使中英关系的发展不仅造福两国人民，而且促进世界的稳定与繁荣。
Let us go beyond the bilateral scope and play a global role. We are very much committed to closer cooperation with Britain on the global stage, from working through the international financial crisis and climate challenge, to addressing international hotspot issues and promoting a greater role of the G20. This is a necessity for both countries, given our international influence and growing common interests. Together, we will strengthen the forces for good. And our relationship will not only benefit our own people, but also contribute to world stability and prosperity.

中英关系的持续发展需要社会各界的大力支持。因此，我要借此机会深切感谢和高度赞赏48家集团俱乐部长期以来为中英关系发展做出的突出贡献。你们经历了中英关系50多年的风风雨雨，始终不渝地致力于促进中英友好合作，迎来了中英关系发展的春天。你们不仅接过了当年“破冰者”们所奉行的“推动中英贸易、促进平等互利”的使命，而且将这一重任又传递给了承载未来和希望的“青年破冰者”一代。你们尽管仍然沿用“48家集团”的旧称，但今天你们早已实现了“超越”，汇聚了英国各行各业、成百上千的社会精英，壮大了支持和发展中英关系的力量。我也衷心地祝愿48家集团俱乐部在新的一年里，在佩里先生的领导下，新年新气象，兔年有飞跃。
An ever growing China-UK relationship counts on the support of people from all sectors. I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation to the 48 Group Club for its outstanding contribution to this relationship. Your commitment to the friendship and cooperation between our two countries has not faltered despite ups and downs in our relations in the last 5 decades. You have not only stayed true to the mission of advancing China-UK trade for equality and mutual benefit, but also passed it on to the Young Icebreakers. Your club has far out-grown the original 48 companies, extending into all sectors of British industry and commerce and bringing in talents in all areas. These are what we rely on to grow China-UK relations. I wish the 48 Group Club continued success in the Year of the Rabbit, under Stephen's leadership.

就在上个月，我出席了苏格兰首席部长在爱丁堡城堡为李克强副总理举行的欢迎晚宴，席间优美的女高音唱起了彭斯的名诗《我的爱像一朵红红的玫瑰》，唱到了“纵使大海干枯水流尽，太阳将岩石烧作灰尘”（Till a' the sea gang dry, And the rock melt wi' the sun），我一下子想到了同样比喻坚定意志不变、且已使用千年的一句中国成语：“海枯石烂”（Till the sea runs dry and the rocks crumble）。两个比拟是如此惊人一致，可见两国文化是相近的，思想是相通的。
Last month at the Scottish First Minister's welcoming dinner for Vice Premier Li Keqiang in Edinburgh Castle, I heard a soprano singing a beautiful song. It was based on Robert Burns's famous poem My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose. One line reads "Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rock melt wi' the sun". This reminded me of a Chinese saying that has been used for a millennium to describe firm commitment of love– "Hai Ku Shi Lan", which literally means "till the sea runs dry and the rocks crumble". This is yet another example of how close our cultures are and how similar our thoughts can be.

祝愿中英友好合作持续发展！
祝愿中英人民友谊亘古长青！
In closing, I wish the China-UK partnership greater success in the Year of the Rabbit and our two peoples an ever-lasting friendship!
谢谢