On 7 June 2018, the Daily Telegraph and its website published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming entitled "Confucius is key to China-UK friendship". The full text is as follows:

2018年6月7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《孔子学院是增进中英友谊的金钥匙》的署名文章。全文如下：

Confucius Is Key to China-UK Friendship

孔子学院是增进中英友谊的金钥匙

After two flights and a ferry trip, I recently arrived at the northernmost part of Britain to unveil the plaque of the Confucius Classroom at Mid Yell Junior High School. As a result of this trip, I became the first foreign ambassador to visit the Shetland Islands and the first Chinese ambassador to land on Yell. While I am happy to have set those records, I was deeply impressed by the enthusiasm of the pupils from Mid Yell, aged 7 to 16, for the Chinese language and culture. Over 100 of them gave performances at the unveiling ceremony in Chinese!

不久前，我换乘两次飞机、一次渡轮，终于抵达位于英国最北端的设得兰群岛，出席当地中耶尔中学的孔子课堂揭牌仪式。此访让我创造了两项纪录，一是成为第一位到访设得兰群岛的外国大使，二是成为第一个登上耶尔岛的中国大使。在揭牌仪式上，中耶尔中学100多名孩子表演了节目，展示自己的中文水平。这些孩子最小的7岁，最大的16岁，他们学习中文的热情让我深受感动，他们对中国文化的浓厚兴趣给我留下深刻印象。

During my eight years as Ambassador to the UK, I have seen the number of Confucius Institutes and Classrooms grow from 11 and 47 to 29 and 156 respectively, more than any other country in Europe. Last year's enrolment totalled 160,000, and more than one million people participated in over 4,000 cultural events hosted by Confucius Institutes in this country.

我出任中国驻英国大使已经8年多。8年前，英国只有11家孔子学院、47个孔子课堂。如今，英国共有29所孔子学院和156个孔子课堂，高居欧洲各国榜首。2017年，英国有16万人在孔子学院和孔子课堂学习，约有102万人参与了孔子学院开展的4000多场文化活动。

How to explain such enthusiasm in Britain? Firstly, there is the immense appeal of the Chinese civilisation, whose vim and vigour is evident in the 5,000-year uninterrupted history of China. Learning the Chinese language gives one the "golden key" to unlock the door to understanding it.

为什么孔子学院和孔子课堂在英国这么“火”？我想主要源自三大“魅力”：一是中华文明的魅力。中国有着5000多年的悠久历史，中华文明生生不息，从未间断。学会中文就拿到了打开了解中华文明大门的“金钥匙”。

China's development "miracle" should also take credit. In the four decades since the beginning of reform and opening-up, China has grown to be the second largest economy in the world, lifted 700 million people out of poverty and has made a major contribution to global development. The Chinese language enables better understanding of the stories behind the "miracle" and greater benefit from the opportunities China has to offer.

二是“中国奇迹”的魅力。中国改革开放40年来，中国经济总量跃升至世界第二，7亿多人脱贫，为世界发展做出巨大贡献。学会中文就可以更好了解“中国奇迹”背后的故事，更好抓住“中国机遇”。

The third factor is the China-UK "Golden Era", launched during President Xi Jinping's successful state visit to the UK in 2015. The exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK in various fields have grown in quality and led to fruitful results. The Chinese language has been the "golden bond" of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

三是“黄金时代”的魅力。2015年习近平主席成功对英国事访问，开启中英关系“黄金时代”。两国各领域交流合作不断提质增效，中文日益成为增进中英人民友谊的“黄金纽带”。

The enthusiasm for the Confucius Institute is not only a British phenomenon. There are 525 Confucius Institute and 1,113 Confucius Classrooms in 147 countries and regions, offering 410,000 language courses to over nine million people. The warm reception is obvious in many parts of the world.

孔子学院不仅在英国“火”了，在世界各地也持续升温。目前在全球 147个国家和地区共有 525 所孔子学院和 1113 个孔子课堂，累计开设汉语班次 41 万个，各类学员达 916 万人。

However, I have heard false accusations. Some accuse the Institute of "interfering with academic freedom", "spreading communism" and "spying". This is preposterous because, first of all, the Confucius Institute follows the principle of open operation and joint benefit. It is a joint venture between a Chinese university and a foreign host university upon the latter's application. The Chinese side respects the host's right to make their decision in running the Institute and never interferes in academic freedom.

与此同时，我也听到一些对孔子学院的“非议”，什么“孔子学院干涉学术自由”，什么“孔子学院传播共产主义思想”，什么“孔子学院是间谍机构”等等。对于这些奇谈怪论，我想强调三点：首先，孔子学院在办学原则上奉行开放性，强调“开放共享”。设立孔子学院由外国学校自愿申请，由中国学校与外国学校合作开办，中方充分尊重外方办学的自主权，从不干涉学术自由。

Second, the Confucius Institute is strictly for public good, focusing on mutual exchange and providing people with an opportunity to learn the Chinese language and culture, to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation, and to build friendship. The Institute has never participated in any activities in the host country that are political or religious in nature, and will not do so in the future.

第二，孔子学院在宗旨上明确公益性，强调“互学互鉴”。孔子学院致力于帮助世界各国人民学习汉语，了解中华文化，加强中外教育、文化合作，增进中外人民之间的友谊。孔院过去没有、今后也不会参与任何与所在国政治、宗教有关的活动。

Third, the operation of the Confucius Institute is transparent, with a complete system of open standards for application, assessment, approval and establishment, and a joint board of directors in charge of management and supervision. Every penny spent is according to laws and regulations, and can be tracked. Those who accuse the Confucius Institute of "spying" are far off the mark.

第三，孔子学院在运作上坚持透明性，强调“公开规范”。孔子学院从申请、审核、建立都有一套透明规范的制度，由中外共同建立的董事会共同进行管理监督，每一分钱花在哪里都有法可依、有章可循、有据可查。那些诬蔑孔子学院是“间谍机构”的人完全是别有用心。

Confucius said: "Cold winter reveals the strength of the pine and cypress." The Confucius Institute has been able to grow despite the "cold winter" because it represents the unstoppable historical trend towards greater mutual learning and exchange between different civilisations, the driving force behind human progress, peace and prosperity. The Institute is initiated by China, but it belongs to the world. I am confident that it will serve as a bridge of friendship and better understanding. Looking ahead, the Institute can make new and greater contribution to human progress and to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

孔子曰：“岁寒，然后知松柏之后凋也。”文明交流互鉴是不可阻挡的历史潮流，是推动人类文明进步和世界和平发展的重要动力。孔子学院之所以历经“岁寒”不断成长壮大，关键在于它顺应了文明交流互鉴的历史潮流。孔子学院源于中国，更属于世界。我确信，孔子学院已经成为各国人民增进相互了解和友谊的桥梁，今后它必将为促进人类文明进步、构建人类命运共同体做出新的更大贡献。