On 29 January 2018, the Daily Telegraph and its website published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming entitled "The UK-China 'Golden Era' can bear new fruit". The full text is as follows:
2018年1月29日,英国主流大报《每日电讯报》纸质版和网络版同时刊登驻英国大使刘晓明题为《中英关系“黄金时代”必将结出新成果》的署名文章。全文如下:
The UK-China 'Golden Era' Can Bear New Fruit
中英关系“黄金时代”必将结出新成果
In a few days, Theresa May will pay an official visit to China, her first and the first by a British prime minister in four years.
英国首相特雷莎·梅即将启程对中国进行正式访问,这是梅首相就任以来首次正式访华,也是英国首相4年来首次访华。
Both China and the UK now stand at the entrance to a new era. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China marked the beginning of a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics. Here in the UK, amid critical Brexit negotiations, a new era for "Global Britain" is also being unveiled. This sets the stage for Prime Minister May's visit, which offers the opportunity to shift the China-UK "Golden Era" into a higher gear and upgrade bilateral relations in three ways.
中英两国现均处于各自发展的“新时代”。中共十九大成功召开,标志着中国特色社会主义进入新时代。英国处于脱欧谈判关键阶段,开启打造“全球化英国”的新时代。梅首相此时访华,将有力推动中英关系“黄金时代”进入加速发展的新时期。我衷心期待,梅首相访问将给两国关系带来三个变化:
First, the visit could deepen political trust, which underpins China-UK cooperation. Over the past two years, President Xi and Prime Minister May had meetings at both G20 Summits in Hangzhou and in Hamburg and reaffirmed on several occasions their commitment to the China-UK "Golden Era".
一是打造政治互信“深化版”。政治互信是中英合作的基础。两年来,习近平主席和梅首相在杭州和汉堡两度会晤,多次确认中英关系“黄金时代”大方向。
The "Golden Era" is the strategic definition of China-UK relations and it is important that the two countries keep to it. The forthcoming visit is a chance for the UK and China to show that they have in mind the larger picture of the international landscape as well as their bilateral relations, and respect each other's core interests and major concerns. This is the key to enhancing mutual understanding and building a relationship based on mutual respect, mutual trust and win-win cooperation that could serve as an exemplar for other countries.
两国应坚持这一战略定位,着眼世界大势和中英关系大局,尊重彼此核心利益和重大关切,进一步增进相互了解与信任,将中英关系打造成为大国之间相互尊重、互信合作、互利共赢的典范。
Secondly, the visit could increase business cooperation. Leaders of the two countries are expected to witness the signing of a number of agreements. These will enable the UK and China to further match their development strategies, take mutually-beneficial cooperation to a new level, and seek to harvest more "golden fruits" across multiple areas, from the Belt and Road Initiative to financial services, scientific innovation, environmental protection, clean energy and bio-science.
二是打造务实合作“提质版”。访问期间,两国领导人将见证签署一系列合作协议。双方将进一步加强发展战略对接,提升互利合作水平,在“一带一路”、金融服务、科技创新、环境保护、清洁能源、生命科学等领域打造更多“黄金成果”。
Earlier this month, I had a round-table with the Chinese business community here in the UK. For the most part, we talked about the new opportunities offered by an increasingly open and independent Britain. This fully reflects the confidence of the Chinese business community in the economic prospects of the UK and the prospects for China-UK cooperation. And this has led me to believe that, if China and the UK seize the opportunities of this new era, our business cooperation can gather new impetus.
前不久,我同几十位在英国的中国企业家座谈,企业家们谈得最多的是更加开放自主的英国给中国企业带来的新机遇,这充分反映出中国工商界对英国发展和中英合作前景的信心。双方应抓住机遇,砥砺奋进,共同创造中英务实合作新动能。
Thirdly, the visit could broaden our international cooperation. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and important members of G20, both China and the UK have shown their broad global vision, open minds, and sense of responsibility and obligation to a world that is undergoing profound and complex changes.
三是打造两国国际协作“加强版”。当前,国际形势正经历深刻复杂变化。作为联合国安理会常任理事国和二十国集团重要成员,中英都有宽广的国际视野、包容开放的胸襟和兼济天下的使命感和责任感。
From opposing protectionism to tackling climate change, from promoting economic globalisation to improving global governance, from the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue to the situation in the Middle East, China and the UK are broadening consensus on how to address a wide range of international and regional issues. The two countries have every reason to join hands and work harder for world peace and development. In the words of Prime Minister May at the Lord Mayor's Banquet last year, China's decisions together with Britain's will "shape the world around us".
两国在反对保护主义、推动经济全球化、完善全球治理、应对气候变化及朝鲜半岛、中东等国际和地区问题上共识不断增多。我们完全可以携手努力,并肩前行,共同为人类和平发展事业做出更多贡献。正如梅首相在去年11月金融城演讲中所说,“英中可携手塑造世界格局”。
While the British film industry basks in the recent success of Darkest Hour, China-UK relations will embrace their brightest hour. The protagonist of the film, Winston Churchill, once remarked: "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." His words echo a Chinese saying: "Always embrace a new day and make new changes." Nothing could be more pertinent to the China-UK "Golden Era". To advance this important relationship, we need to embrace change, seize new opportunities and build new consensus in order to open up new prospects.
最近,英国电影《至暗时刻》正在热映。我认为,中英关系将迎来光明时刻。丘吉尔曾经说过,“要改进就要改变,要完美就更要不断改变”。中国也有句话,“苟日新,日日新,又日新”。中英关系“黄金时代”也是如此,唯有抓住新机遇,凝聚新共识,才能开辟新前景。
I am convinced that Prime Minister May's visit can take our bilateral relationship a step further, by building a China-UK "Golden Era" 2.0 and an ever brighter future for the people of our two countries.
我期待并相信,梅首相此次中国之行将助力打造中英关系“黄金时代”升级版,为中英两国人民开创更加美好的未来!