On 19 October 2018, the Daily Telegraph and its website published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming entitled "China's focus is on peace, co-operation and hard work". The full text is as follows:

2018年10月19日，英国《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《中国致力于和平、合作与奋斗》的署名文章。全文如下：

China's Focus Is on Peace, Co-operation and Hard Work

中国致力于和平、合作与奋斗

A quote believed to be attributable to Mark Twain goes like this: A lie can travel half-way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. This time round, a US politician bragged about "rebuilding China" in front of the whole world against international common sense. The public must be told the truth as soon as possible.

马克·吐温曾经说过，“当真相还在穿鞋的时候,谎言就走遍了半个世界。”近来，美国某位政客竟然在全世界面前夸口“美国重建了中国”，这完全是违反常识和挑战国际公理。我认为，广大公众有权了解事实真相。

The truth is, no one in the world has the capability to "rebuild China", a country of 1.4 billion people. The Chinese people have the right to pursue a better life, like every other country and people. To this end, China has resolved to seek a development path and a social system that suit it.

首先，中国有权利走自己的路，不容恶意歪曲和诋毁。中国是一个近14亿人口的大国，解决中国的问题只能靠中国人民自己，世界上恐怕没有哪个国家有所谓“重建中国”的能力。每个国家都有权利选择适合自己的发展道路和社会制度，每个国家的人民都有权利追求高质量的幸福生活。

After 40 years of reform and opening-up since 1978, China has, through relentless exploration, blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics based on its national conditions. This is the path that has led to profound changes, tremendous prosperity in China and better life for its people. China's development achievements are not a handout from others but the results of decades of hard work from the Chinese people. No one can claim the credit but the people of China. The Chinese people are best positioned to judge whether this path is successful in improving their life.

今年是中国改革开放40周年。40年来，我们立足自身国情和实践，经过艰辛探索走出了一条中国特色社会主义道路。这是一条实现国家富强和人民幸福的成功之路，给中国带来翻天覆地的变化。中国今天的发展成就，是全体中国人民几十年艰苦奋斗的结果，绝非来自别人的施舍和恩赐。任何人都不能贪天功为己有，侵害中国人民的劳动果实。中国人民现在日子过得好不好，中国人民最有发言权。

China's path is also one of mutually-beneficial cooperation with other countries, which has created huge opportunities for the rest of the world. The Chinese people will not be swayed from this path, nor can anyone stop them from marching forward. China's reforms will continue on all fronts and its opening-up will continue to expand. While improving the life of its own people, China stands ready to share the benefits of development with the world rather than to challenge or replace anybody.

这也是一条中国与世界各国互利合作的发展道路，给世界提供了巨大机遇。任何人都改变不了中国人民沿着中国特色社会主义道路坚定不移走下去的决心，任何人都阻挡不了中国人民前进的步伐。中国将继续推进全面深化改革、扩大对外开放，不仅让全中国人民过上好日子，也让世界上更多国家的人民过上好日子。

The Western traditional belief of power politics, that "a strong country is bound to seek hegemony" and thus "China is bound to challenge and replace the US leadership", has led to the current escalation of trade disputes between the two countries. But this is a big miscomprehension of China's development intentions, because China is pursuing a path of peaceful development untrodden by the established powers.

第二，中国发展意图光明磊落，不是要挑战或取代谁。西方传统现实主义笃信国强必霸，不少人就据此揣测中国今后也会挑战和取代美国在世界上的领导地位。这是对中国发展意图的严重误判，这也恰恰是当前中美经贸摩擦升级的一个重要症结。事实上，中国正在走一条有别于传统大国的和平发展道路。

Historically, China had been one of the most powerful countries in the world for centuries but never colonised or invaded any other country. Nor has the People's Republic of China started a single war or conflict over the past 69 years since its founding. Today, peace, development and win-win cooperation are the trend of the times. As the world's largest developing country, China takes as its ultimate goal to provide a better life for its people rather than challenge or replace the leadership of others, and works for harmony and stability at home as well as a peaceful and tranquil environment overseas. These are the rationale for China's pursuit of peaceful development. It is time for the US to shake off the shackles of outdated ideas of invasion, expansion, hegemony and bullying, and come round and appreciate China's win-win cooperation with the world.

历史上，中国曾经长期是世界上最强大的国家之一，但中国没有殖民和侵略他国的记录。当今时代，和平、发展、合作、共赢已成为时代潮流，侵略扩张、霸权欺凌的老路早就走不通了。新中国成立近70年来，没有主动挑起过任何一场战争和冲突。作为世界上最大的发展中国家，中国发展最根本的目的是持续改善本国人民福祉，中国对于领导谁不感兴趣，更无意挑战谁、取代谁。中国的发展既需要和谐稳定的国内环境，也需要和平安宁的国际环境。这些因素都决定了，中国决不会重蹈国强必霸的覆辙，而将坚持走和平发展道路。我们希望美方抛开旧思维的桎梏，正确看待和认识中国的发展方向。

China's approach to cooperation with other countries is characterised by honouring commitments and upholding justice. It is not self gain at the expense of other countries, but it nonetheless entails a firm safeguard of sovereignty, security and right to development. In the recent trade disputes triggered by the US, China had no other choice but to take necessary countermeasures.

第三，中国对外合作讲信重义，不是损人利己和“唯我独尊”。在对外合作中，中国历来是言必信、行必果，绝不以牺牲别国利益为代价发展自己，同时坚定捍卫自己的主权、安全和发展利益。中美经贸摩擦是美方一手挑起的，中方别无选择，只能被迫作出必要反应。

Personal experience tells me that in China-US relations, cooperation is the only right thing to do. The two had better work with each other than against each other. That is why China has responded to the US concerns over trade with the utmost patience and sincerity, and has insisted on addressing the disputes through dialogue and consultation. By contrast, the US has frequently gone back on its word, ignored good advice and showed an obvious lack of sincerity for equal-footed negotiation and consultation, hence, the escalation of the situation.

我们始终认为，中美合则两利、斗则双输，合作是双方唯一正确选择。中国始终从维护中美共同利益和世界贸易秩序大局出发，以最大耐心和最大诚意回应美方关切，坚持通过对话协商解决争议。但美方出尔反尔、一意孤行，缺乏应有的平等谈判和真诚磋商态度，导致事态不断升级。

Inevitably, an increasing number of industries and regions in the US are feeling the strain of the tariff measures and making their voices heard. It is absurd and against common sense to blame this on so-called "China's interference in US domestic affairs and midterm elections". As early as the 1950s, China proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, one of which is "non-interference in other countries' internal affairs". Since then, China has all along sought friendly ties with other countries on the basis of these principles. While the US interference has left a global trail of troubles, notably in the Middle East, China has never interfered in the internal affairs of anyone.

随着美方对越来越多的中国输美产品加征关税，美国越来越多的行业和地方不可避免受到影响。在此情况下，美方反过来污蔑中国干涉美国内政和中期选举，不仅违反常识，也荒唐至极。早在上世纪50年代，中国就提出了和平共处五项原则，其中重要一条就是互不干涉内政。长期以来，中国始终致力于在和平共处五项原则基础上与各国发展友好合作关系，从不干涉别国的内政。相反，美国在全世界各地挑起事端、干涉别国内政的行径则不胜枚举，至今中东乱局就是最好的例证。

On the contrary, China is committed to safeguarding the common interests of mankind, promoting world peace, contributing to global development and upholding the international order, and never retracts from its pledges made to international conventions or applies double standards. As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of its Security Council, China has been actively engaged in the current international system by joining almost all major inter-governmental organisations and signing more than 300 international conventions.

第四，中国矢志捍卫人类共同利益，不搞“失信退约”和“双重标准”。中国始终是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者。中国是联合国创始会员国和安理会常任理事国，始终积极融入现行国际体系，参与了当今世界几乎所有重要政府间国际组织，签署了300多项国际公约。

China is the second largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and the largest contributor among the P5 of peacekeeping personnel. For 10 consecutive years, China has carried out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, ensuring the safe passage of more than 6,000 merchant ships from various countries, including the US and the UK. With regard to the international development agenda, China has provided close to 400 bn yuan (44bn pounds) of aid to more than 160 countries and international organisations.

中国已经是联合国维和行动第二大出资国和安理会五常中派遣维和军事人员最多的国家。中国海军连续10年在亚丁湾、索马里海域执行护航，先后维护了6000多艘船舶的安全，其中也包括美国、英国等国的商船。在国际发展合作方面，中国迄今已向160多个国家和国际组织提供了近4000亿元人民币发展援助。

China has also actively helped other developing countries to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by setting up mechanisms such as the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, the China-UK Peace and Development Fund and the South-South Climate Change Fund.

中国还通过南南合作援助基金、中国－联合国和平与发展基金、气候变化南南合作基金等机制，积极帮助其他发展中国家落实2030年可持续发展议程。

US actions, however, have been exactly the opposite: willfully undermining established rules of multilateralism and free trade, making groundless accusations against the win-win economic cooperation and trade between China and other developing countries and playing them off against one another, and frequently imposing sanctions on other countries through "long-arm jurisdiction". On top of all these is cherry-picking international laws and agreements that serve US interests. Such "double standards" have damaged US international credibility even in the eyes of many European countries, including the UK.

与此形成反差的是，美国肆意破坏早已确立的多边主义、自由贸易等国际准则，不仅对中国与其他发展中国家在经贸领域的互利合作说三道四、挑拨离间，还动辄对别国进行“长臂管辖”制裁打压。美国奉行“双重标准”，对国际法合则用、不合则弃，对已经达成的国际协议，合则留、不合则废，其国际信誉持续受损，相信包括英国在内的不少欧洲国家对此都感同身受。

Where light inches forward, darkness retreats. As promoters and beneficiaries of globalisation, both China and the UK are against unilateralism and protectionism. The two countries should join hands with the international community to firmly safeguard the world economic order and multilateral trade regime, uphold international justice, and urge the US to reject the "zero-sum game" and stop bullying. This is the way forward to safeguard the common interests of mankind and ensure peace and prosperity in the world.

“光明前进一分，黑暗便后退一分。”中英两国都是全球化的推动者和受益者，在反对单边主义和保护主义等方面拥有共同语言。当前形势下，中英两国应与国际社会一道，坚决维护世界经济秩序和多边贸易体系，坚定捍卫国际公理和正义，敦促美方摒弃零和思维、停止霸凌行为。唯有如此，才能维护人类共同利益，确保世界和平与繁荣。